World model maker Odyssey nabs $1.45B valuation backed by Amazon and other big names

Odyssey secured $25 million in Series B funding, reaching a $1.45 billion valuation, on March 14, 2024. The funding round was co-led by Amazon and prominent venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners. Odyssey is developing "world models," a new paradigm in artificial intelligence that aims to create AI systems capable of understanding and predicting the physical world. This technology is seen as a significant advancement beyond current large language models (LLMs). Other investors in this round included prominent figures such as Nvidia, a key player in AI hardware, and venture capital firm Accel. The company's focus on world models positions it as a significant contender in the evolving AI landscape, attracting substantial investment from major industry players.