Kimi creator Moonshot draws global investors seeking ‘top-tier’ Chinese AI developers
China’s Moonshot AI has attracted global investor interest spanning Europe, Asia and the Middle East, people familiar with the matter say, as international capital scrambles for access to Chinese frontier artificial intelligence labs, betting on their high-stakes race against US rivals. The Beijing-based developer of the Kimi family of AI models has seen mounting interest from overseas players…
China's Moonshot AI, the developer of the Kimi family of AI models, has captivated the interest of global investors, including those from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This surge in investment is driven by the pursuit of high-stakes competition against US AI rivals, as Chinese AI labs grapple with escalating training and inference costs.
Moonshot, founded in 2023, has secured approximately US$5 billion in funding to date, although this amount trails behind the tens of billions invested in leading US AI players. To extend its financial horizon, Moonshot has recently filed for a Hong Kong Initial Public Offering. The company's appeal lies in its open-weight models, which can be further trained or self-hosted, providing a viable alternative to US proprietary AI models.
Notable investors in Moonshot include Singapore-based K3 Ventures, Paris-based Cathay Capital, Singapore's Granite Asia, Japanese Orix Group, and South Korean Mirae Asset Financial Group. These investors have sought indirect exposure through special-purpose vehicles (SPVs) to circumvent direct investment hurdles. London-listed Shaires Holdings, Malaysia's Falnas Capital, and Dubai-based Stella Capital have also announced investments in Moonshot, highlighting the global interest in this Chinese AI powerhouse.
Written by urgent.news from SCMP Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
