Former Google DeepMind researcher's AI startup raises record $1.1 billion seed funding

A groundbreaking announcement came on Monday as David Silver, a prominent former researcher from Google DeepMind, revealed that his newly established startup, Ineffable Intelligence, has successfully raised a staggering $1.1 billion in seed funding. Founded just a few months ago in late 2025, this ambitious venture is focused on developing superintelligent AI technology. The funding round marks a significant milestone, being the largest ever recorded in Europe, and values the startup at an impressive $5.1 billion. Leading the investment are renowned U.S. venture capital firms Sequoia and Lightspeed, along with contributions from major players such as Nvidia, DST Global, Index Ventures, Google, and the UK's Sovereign AI Fund. Ineffable Intelligence is set to specialize in reinforcement learning, a method where AI systems learn through direct experience rather than relying solely on human-generated data. This approach contrasts with many current AI models that are primarily trained on vast amounts of text from the internet. Silver articulated the company's ambitious goal, stating, "Our mission is to achieve first contact with superintelligence." He elaborated on their vision of creating a superlearner capable of uncovering knowledge through its own experiences, ranging from basic motor skills to significant intellectual advancements. The surge of investment in AI startups is notable, with Silver being one of several ex-Big Tech researchers who have transitioned to launching their own initiatives. Recently, the Financial Times reported that Recursive Superintelligence, founded by another former DeepMind engineer, Tim Rocktäschel, is in the process of raising up to $1 billion. Additionally, AMI Labs announced a $1 billion funding round earlier this year after its founder, Yann LeCun, departed from his role at Meta. In a statement, the U.K.'s Science and Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, emphasized the importance of this investment, highlighting its potential to revolutionize entire sectors and reinforcing the U.K.'s commitment to being a leader in AI innovation.