Hottest AI Startups in New York City in 2026: 11 Companies to Watch

New York City is no longer an AI follower. In 2026, the hottest AI startups in New York City are closing nine-figure rounds, landing Fortune 500 customers, and shipping products that people use every day. This USABusinessDaily guide profiles 11 of them.

“Hottest” is a subjective word, so we set clear rules. We weighed 2026 funding, valuation, disclosed revenue, customer proof, and New York presence. Funding alone did not earn a spot. Our method is explained near the end.

Private-company numbers change fast. So each figure below is labeled as announced by the company or reported by a news outlet.

Which are the hottest AI startups in NYC in 2026? Based on 2026 funding and disclosed traction, leading names include AlphaSense, Cyera, Modal, Clay, Runway, ElevenLabs, General Intuition, Flourish, Profound, Rogo, and Norm AI. Together they cover market intelligence, data security, AI infrastructure, sales, video, voice, world models, brain-inspired research, marketing, finance, and compliance.

NYC AI Startups at a Glance

These figures show the scale of the AI startups in NYC scene. Each one names its source.

Metric	Figure	Source and date
AI funding raised by NYC-based companies in 2025	Over $16.7 billion, up 80% from 2024	Partnership for New York City, February 2026
Venture capital raised by NYC companies, 2022 to 2024	$67 billion, or 11.0% of US funding	NYCEDC, State of the NYC Economy 2025
Best month for NYC startup funding	$4.70 billion across 81 companies	AlleyWatch, June 2026
Lightest month of 2026 so far	$837.9 million across 34 deals	AlleyWatch, August 2026

The swings matter. One month looks like a boom, and the next looks like a slowdown. So we treat funding as a signal, not a verdict.

Why New York City Is Becoming an AI Startup Hub

Three factors help the hottest AI startups in New York City grow here.

First, customers. The city is home to major banks, insurers, media groups, and law firms. Founders can sell enterprise AI to buyers a short subway ride away. Rogo, Norm AI, and AlphaSense all sell to finance and legal teams.

Second, capital. NYC-based AI companies raised more than $16.7 billion in 2025, according to Partnership for New York City. To go deeper, read our guide to ==NYC venture capital==.

Third, research capacity. Empire AI is New York’s state-backed computing consortium. It gives researchers at Columbia, Cornell, CUNY, and NYU shared access to computing power.

Together, these factors explain why the wider ==NYC startup ecosystem== keeps attracting AI founders.

The 11 Hottest AI Startups in New York City in 2026

The profiles below are grouped by evidence, not ranked. Each one shows the latest round, the proof of traction, and why the company matters.

1. AlphaSense: Market Intelligence at Scale

AlphaSense sells an AI platform that helps finance teams search and study market data. On June 3, 2026, it raised $350 million at a $7.5 billion valuation. Vitruvian Partners, Accenture Ventures, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management led the deal.

The proof is clear. Its annual recurring revenue (ARR) passed $600 million in early 2026, the company says. ARR measures yearly subscription income. That is up from $500 million in October 2025. More than 7,000 enterprises use the platform. It also launched SuperAnalyst, an always-on AI agent for financial workflows.

Why it matters: AlphaSense shows that enterprise AI can reach large scale from a New York base.

2. Cyera: Data Security for the AI Era

Cyera helps large firms find and protect sensitive data. That includes data that AI tools can reach. On June 10, 2026, the New York-based company raised a $600 million Series G at a $12 billion valuation. Evolution Equity Partners led. Cyberstarts and Temasek joined, plus older backers like Accel, Blackstone, and Coatue. Total funding now tops $2 billion.

Cyera says its ARR has tripled for three years in a row. It gives no dollar figure. Its customers include Paramount, Chipotle, and Valvoline. In September 2026, Calcalist’s Ctech reported a further $400 million investment from Goldman Sachs. Ctech called it an extension of the Series G, not a new valuation.

Why it matters: Cyera shows how AI adoption creates demand for cybersecurity startups in NYC.

3. Modal: Cloud Infrastructure Built for AI

Modal runs serverless cloud infrastructure for AI models and code. On May 21, 2026, it raised a $355 million Series C at a $4.65 billion post-money valuation. General Catalyst and Redpoint led the round. At its Series B in September 2025, Modal was valued at $1.1 billion.

Growth is the big story. Modal says annualized revenue passed $300 million, up about fivefold since September 2025. CEO Erik Bernhardsson told Reuters that AI coding tools drove much of the jump. Reuters also reported that the round closed in two tranches, the first at a $2.5 billion valuation. Modal says more than 1 billion sandboxes have launched on its platform.

Why it matters: Modal is the clearest AI infrastructure story in the city.

4. Clay: AI-Powered Go-to-Market

Clay makes software that uses AI agents to research leads and do sales and marketing work. On September 9, 2026, it raised a $115 million Series D at a $7.1 billion valuation. Wellington led the round.

Clay says it serves more than 17,000 customers, including Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and Stripe. In January 2026, an employee tender offer valued the company at $5 billion. A tender offer lets staff sell shares they already own. It is not new funding.

Why it matters: Clay shows that sales and marketing teams now buy AI agents, not just dashboards.

5. Runway: Generative Video and World Models

Runway builds generative AI models for video. It is also moving into “world models.” These are AI systems that learn how a scene changes over time. On February 10, 2026, it raised a $315 million Series E at a $5.3 billion valuation. General Atlantic led, with Nvidia, Fidelity, and AllianceBernstein among the investors. Total funding is about $860 million.

Runway says it will use the money to train its next world models. It also plans to add staff in research, engineering, and sales.

Why it matters: Runway’s move from video tools to world models reflects a wider shift in AI research.

6. ElevenLabs: Voice and Conversational AI

ElevenLabs builds AI voice models and tools for voice agents. On February 4, 2026, it raised a $500 million Series D at an $11 billion valuation, led by Sequoia. Total funding reached $781 million. The company reported ARR above $500 million by April 2026.

A note on location: ElevenLabs was founded in Poland and works worldwide. New York is one of its named hubs, and some databases list it as based here. We call it NYC-linked, not NYC-only.

Why it matters: voice agents for big companies are a main focus of the new funding.

7. General Intuition: World Models from Gameplay

General Intuition trains AI agents on video game clips that are labeled with player actions. The New York startup spun out of Medal, a gaming clip platform with about 17 million monthly users. On June 25, 2026, it raised a $320 million Series A at a $2.3 billion post-money valuation. Khosla Ventures led. General Catalyst, Jeff Bezos, and Eric Schmidt’s family office also took part. Total disclosed funding is $454 million.

The bet is bold. The company argues that gameplay data teaches AI how to act in space and time. It says one model needed only eight minutes of real-world data to steer a four-legged robot. In August, TechCrunch reported talks at a $6 billion pre-money valuation. That is reported, not confirmed.

Why it matters: NYC now hosts research-stage AI labs, not only applied AI.

8. Flourish: A Brain-Inspired AI Lab in SoHo

Flourish came out of stealth in early June 2026. WIRED reported a $500 million round at a $2.5 billion valuation. Other outlets repeated the figures. Jeff Bezos anchored the round. Reports say he nearly doubled an initial $50 million check. Lux Capital, GV, and Catalio Capital also took part. The founders are Thomas Reardon, creator of CTRL-labs, and Rob Williams, a former Amazon executive.

The lab wants to build AI that runs on about 50 watts. That is far less power than today’s training chips use. The team works in a ten-story West SoHo building with its own data center.

A caution: Flourish is research-stage and has no shipped product. Its value rests on research promise, not revenue.

9. Profound: Visibility Inside AI Answers

Profound sells software that shows brands how AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini talk about them. The field is called answer engine optimization (AEO). On September 15, 2026, Profound raised a $180 million Series D at a $1.8 billion valuation. Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins co-led. The round came less than seven months after a $96 million Series C at $1 billion. Total funding now exceeds $335 million.

The company says it serves over 1,000 large brands and more than one-third of the Fortune 100. Its customers include Walmart, Comcast, and Figma. It has not shared revenue.

Why it matters: Profound is building a new software category around how people search now.

10. Rogo: AI Agents for Finance

Rogo builds AI for bankers and other finance staff. On April 29, 2026, it raised a $160 million Series D led by Kleiner Perkins. Total funding now exceeds $300 million. Press reports put its valuation near $2 billion, up from $750 million at its January 2026 Series C.

Rogo says more than 35,000 finance professionals at over 250 institutions use its platform. Its agent, Felix, handles multi-step jobs like deal screening and buyer outreach.

Why it matters: Rogo is a leading example among ==fintech startups in NYC== that use AI agents for high-value work.

11. Norm AI: Compliance Agents and an AI-Native Law Firm

Norm AI builds AI agents that apply legal and regulatory rules to daily business work. On July 7, 2026, it raised a $120 million Series C at a $1.2 billion valuation, led by Khosla Ventures. Blackstone, Bain Capital Ventures, Coatue, Vanguard, New York Life, and TIAA also took part.

The company says its clients manage more than $30 trillion in assets. It also backs Norm Law LLP, a law firm built around AI, where attorneys oversee the agents.

Why it matters: Norm AI is a fast-rising name in legal tech, where accuracy and human oversight decide who wins.

Latest Funding Rounds Compared

This table answers a common search: the most funded AI startups NYC has produced this year. Round size is not total funding, so read each column with care.

Company	Category	Latest round	Valuation	Date
Cyera	AI data security	$600M Series G	$12B	June 10, 2026
ElevenLabs	Voice AI	$500M Series D	$11B	February 4, 2026
Flourish	AI research	$500M (reported)	$2.5B	June 2026
Modal	AI infrastructure	$355M Series C	$4.65B	May 21, 2026
AlphaSense	Market intelligence	$350M	$7.5B	June 3, 2026
General Intuition	World models	$320M Series A	$2.3B	June 25, 2026
Runway	Generative video	$315M Series E	$5.3B	February 10, 2026
Profound	AI search marketing	$180M Series D	$1.8B	September 15, 2026
Rogo	Finance AI	$160M Series D	About $2B (reported)	April 29, 2026
Norm AI	Legal and compliance AI	$120M Series C	$1.2B	July 7, 2026
Clay	AI go-to-market	$115M Series D	$7.1B	September 9, 2026

Trackers do not always agree. AlleyWatch’s June report lists Cyera at $300 million, but the company reported $600 million. We used company figures wherever they exist.

What NYC AI Funding Looks Like in 2026

Funding for the hottest AI startups in New York City rode a record month in June. It was the best month on record for NYC startups. AlleyWatch counted $4.70 billion across 81 companies, with 12 rounds of $100 million or more. AI companies took 55.5% of that capital.

The record did not last. August brought just $837.9 million across 34 deals, the lightest month of 2026. Fewer, bigger deals now define the cycle.

Readers tracking this trend can follow our coverage of NYC startup funding and AI startup funding.

Five Trends Shaping NYC AI Companies in 2026

• Agents enter regulated work. Rogo’s Felix, Norm AI’s compliance agents, and AlphaSense’s SuperAnalyst all target high-stakes tasks.
• Infrastructure follows AI coding. Modal credits coding tools for its revenue jump.
• Research labs arrive. Flourish and General Intuition won billion-dollar valuations before building large businesses.
• AI search becomes a market. Profound’s rise shows that brands now pay to appear in AI answers.
• Go-to-market goes agentic. Clay’s growth shows that sales teams want software that acts, not just reports.

NYC vs. Silicon Valley for AI: What the Data Shows

The Bay Area remains the largest US venture hub, and NYC does not replace it. The two regions specialize. Most of the hottest AI startups in New York City sell to banks, insurers, and brands.

Frontier-model labs still cluster in the Bay Area. NYC stands out in applied AI that plugs into finance, law, media, and marketing. That focus fits New York’s buyers.

So it is more useful to ask which city fits your goal. Founders selling to banks may prefer New York. Founders building foundation models may weigh the Bay Area’s compute and talent.

Which AI Startups in NYC Are Hiring?

We did not check open roles at every company. Still, several have tied hiring to 2026 funding.

• Runway said it will expand research, engineering, and go-to-market teams.
• Profound said it will expand applied AI research in New York and San Francisco.
• General Intuition listed a Member of Technical Staff role in New York in late September 2026.

For live openings, check each careers page. You can also browse our guides to AI jobs in NYC and NYC startup jobs.

How We Selected These Companies

UsaBusinessDaily used the following method:

• Signals reviewed: 2026 funding, valuation, disclosed revenue or customers, product launches, and NYC presence.
• Sources used: company announcements, wire releases, Reuters, TechCrunch, WIRED, Calcalist, and AlleyWatch funding data.
• Labels: “announced” means the company said it. “Reported” means a news outlet said it.
• Exclusions: we left out rumors and companies whose NYC status or 2026 data we could not confirm.
• No interviews: we did not speak with these founders. Every claim comes from public sources.

Funding is not proof that customers want a product. A high valuation is just a price investors accepted. It does not measure profit or staying power.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hottest AI startups in NYC in 2026?

Leading names include AlphaSense, Cyera, Modal, Clay, Runway, ElevenLabs, General Intuition, Flourish, Profound, Rogo, and Norm AI. We chose them for 2026 funding and disclosed traction.

Which NYC AI startups raised the most funding?

Among the companies profiled, Cyera raised the largest round at $600 million. ElevenLabs and Flourish each raised about $500 million. Modal raised $355 million, and AlphaSense raised $350 million.

Which NYC AI startups have billion-dollar valuations?

Every company in this guide has an announced or reported valuation of at least $1.2 billion. Cyera is highest at $12 billion, followed by ElevenLabs at $11 billion.

Why is New York becoming an AI hub?

Banks, law firms, and media groups create ready buyers. Local AI companies also raised over $16.7 billion in 2025, and Empire AI adds research computing.

What industries do NYC AI startups target?

The companies here serve finance, legal and compliance, cybersecurity, sales and marketing, media, and AI infrastructure.

Which NYC startups are building AI agents?

AlphaSense, Rogo, Norm AI, Clay, and Profound all describe AI agent products. Each targets a different business workflow.

Which NYC startup focuses on AI infrastructure?

Modal is the clearest example. It provides serverless cloud infrastructure for AI models and code.

Are all these companies headquartered in NYC?

Most say so in their announcements. ElevenLabs is the exception to watch, because it operates globally with New York as one hub. Confirm headquarters before citing any company as NYC-based.

How many AI startups are in New York City?

Counts vary by definition. NYCEDC has cited more than 2,000 AI startups. Tech:NYC counts over 1,000 AI-related companies that have raised funding since 2019.

How often is this guide updated?

The date at the top shows the latest update. UsaBusinessDaily revises the guide when major funding, acquisitions, or headquarters changes occur.

Final Thoughts

The hottest AI startups in New York City share one trait: they solve expensive problems for real customers. Some, like AlphaSense and Modal, already show large revenue. Others, like Flourish, still bet on research.

The market moves fast, so check any figure before you rely on it. NYC AI companies will keep raising and reshaping this list.

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