BlackRock & Kleiner Perkins Ignite $600M Mega-Round for Autonomous Tech Disruptor

Wall Street and Silicon Valley just placed their biggest bet yet on the self-driving revolution.

BlackRock and Kleiner Perkins—two titans from opposite coasts—have poured $600 million into an autonomous tech firm that''s racing to dominate the roads. The funding round screams confidence in a sector that''s been equal parts hype and heartbreak.

Why this matters: When traditional finance heavyweights and VC legends align, markets listen. Even if half these ''groundbreaking'' autonomous startups eventually crash (literally or figuratively), the smart money''s hedging on winner-takes-all outcomes.

The cynical take: Nothing solves existential tech challenges like throwing nine figures at them—until the next earnings call demands accountability.

TLDR;

• Applied Intuition raised $600 million in Series F funding led by BlackRock and Kleiner Perkins, pushing its valuation to $15 billion.
• The company’s tech powers AI-driven vehicles across automotive, defense, agriculture, mining, and more.
• A new partnership with OpenAI will bring generative AI and voice capabilities to vehicle experiences.
• Applied plans to expand globally and invest in scaling its full-stack vehicle intelligence platform.

Applied Intuition, a California-based vehicle intelligence company, has closed a $600 million Series F funding round led by BlackRock and Kleiner Perkins, catapulting its valuation to $15 billion.

The round marks one of the most significant investments in the autonomous technology sector this year, affirming a growing investor appetite for practical, scalable AI applications across mobility and defense sectors.

The company, which builds software-defined systems for vehicles across industries, said the funding would accelerate its mission to bring “intelligence into every moving machine.” Applied Intuition’s platform powers vehicles for major automakers like Toyota and Volkswagen, while also serving defense and industrial clients with AI-enabled autonomy Stacks and simulation tools.

From Startup to Industry leader

Applied Intuition’s transformation has been dramatic. In 2019, it raised just $40 million. Six years later, the company’s valuation has soared more than 370-fold. That meteoric rise reflects not just hype, but the strategic pivot of the broader autonomous vehicle sector—from moonshot concepts to grounded, revenue-generating solutions.

In the Tuesday announcement,  CEO Qasar Younis called the new round “a milestone, not just for us, but for the future of mobility and American innovation.” In a statement released Tuesday, he emphasized the company’s dual-use approach.

“We’re scaling up our investments in bringing intelligence into every moving machine. Everything from cars and trucks to drones and factories will be powered by AI.”

A Multi-sector Strategy

Applied Intuition’s technology reaches well beyond consumer vehicles. Its software suite is deployed across construction, mining, agriculture, and defense. The acquisition of defense tech firm EpiSci and the recent launch of two new defense-focused products, Axion and Acuity, underline the company’s commitment to national security applications.

“Vehicle intelligence isn’t just about adding another feature. It’s a fundamental shift,” said Younis. “It’s about making vehicles safer, smarter, and more adaptable and doing it at scale.”

AI at the Wheel, and Everywhere Else

One of the most notable elements of the company’s growth story is its strategic alignment with OpenAI. The partnership aims to integrate large language models and generative AI into vehicles, enabling natural, voice-based interactions and personalized in-car experiences.

This collaboration blends Applied Intuition’s embedded software expertise with OpenAI’s conversational intelligence, enabling systems that can plan routes, deliver safety tips, manage infotainment, and even anticipate driver preferences.

Samir Menon, Managing Director at BlackRock, cited the company’s clear leadership in AI-powered autonomy as a reason for the investment.

“We invest in the long-term megatrends reshaping the global economy. Applied Intuition has emerged as a key innovation leader.”

Looking Ahead

Applied Intuition plans to use the funds to accelerate global expansion, invest in new markets like the UK, and expand its product portfolio. The company’s platform, offering simulation, autonomy stacks, developer tools, and AI infrastructure, is fast becoming the operating backbone for intelligent vehicles across sectors.

With eighteen of the world’s top twenty automakers already on board and growing momentum in defense and logistics, Applied Intuition appears poised to define the next decade of intelligent mobility.