Nous Research, the startup behind the open-source Hermes agent, has successfully secured a $90 million Series B funding round that values the company at $1.5 billion, according to a Wednesday report from The Wall Street Journal. This confirmation aligns with earlier reporting from TechCrunch regarding the round's details.
The funding round was spearheaded by Robot Ventures, with additional participation from notable investors including Nvidia, Union Square Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Samsung, and 1789 Capital, where Donald Trump Jr. serves as a partner. This new injection of capital brings the three-year-old startup's cumulative funding to $158 million.
The open-source Hermes agent, which has garnered significant popularity among developers and individuals, has been cloned over 24 million times. The startup estimates that this agent accounts for approximately 2.5% of global AI token usage.
The newly raised capital is intended to fuel Nous Research's expansion into the enterprise sector through a product called “Hermes for Businesses.” This offering enables companies to deploy customized AI agents capable of managing multi-step workflows while ensuring that their data remains private and secure.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Nous Research achieved approximately $36 million in annualized revenue by mid-September 2026 and anticipates surpassing $100 million by the end of the same year.
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