{
  "id": 5049819,
  "title": "Airlift Co-Founder’s AI Startup Metal Raises $4.5 Million",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/airlift-co-founders-ai-startup-metal-raises-4-5-million",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-02T07:50:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ProPakistani",
    "slug": "propakistani",
    "url": "https://propakistani.pk/2026/09/02/airlift-co-founders-ai-startup-metal-raises-4-5-million/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Metal, an artificial intelligence startup co-founded by Airlift's Usman Gul and based in Pakistan, has secured a $4.5 million seed funding round. The investment was led by Andreessen Horowitz's a16z Speedrun and Y Combinator. Gul, who serves as Metal's CEO, shared the news via a social media post. The company's platform aims to assist startup founders by managing fundraising and venture capital workflows through AI-powered tools. Metal refers to its platform as an \"AI operating system\" that offers intelligence and automation to startups during their funding rounds. The company's goal is to transform software traditionally used for capital raising into a lasting infrastructure for the entire capital formation process. The funding round also saw support from various investors, including Pioneer Fund, Rebel Fund, Gaingels, Indus Valley Capital, Team Ignite Ventures, and Phaze Ventures. According to Gul, Metal is positioned to achieve multi-million dollar annual revenue by the end of its fiscal year 2026. The startup has demonstrated impressive growth, with six straight quarters of quarterly expansion ranging from 30 percent to 80 percent. Additionally, Metal has published a thesis on the future of private capital markets, sharing its insights on potential developments in the sector. The recent funding came after a strategic investment from Rebel Fund, which focuses on startups originating from the Y Combinator ecosystem.",
  "summary": "Pakistan based startup Metal, founded by Airlift co founder Usman Gul, has raised $4.5 million in a seed funding round … Read More The post Airlift Co-Founder’s AI Startup Metal Raises $4.5 Million appeared first on ProPakistani .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Airlift co-founder Usman Gul’s AI startup Metal raises $4.5mn seed",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/airlift-co-founder-usman-guls-ai-startup-metal-raises-4-5mn-seed",
        "published": "2026-09-02T06:13:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}