FriendliAI, a Redwood City, CA-based AI inference platform startup, has raised a $20 million seed extension round.
Investors
The round was led by Capstone Partners, with participation from Sierra Ventures, Alumni Ventures, KDB, and KB Securities.
Capstone Partners is an investment banking firm that provides a variety of financial advisory services to middle-market companies. It specializes in advising business owners, investors, and creditors. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with multiple offices across the U.S.
FriendliAI Use of Funds
The company will utilize the funds to expand its go-to-market operations in North America and Asia, invest in research and development, and scale its GPU infrastructure to meet growing demand.
About FriendliAI
Founded by Byung-Gon Chun, FriendliAI is a company that provides AI inference solutions that help businesses deploy and scale generative AI models efficiently and cost-effectively. Its platform simplifies deployment, accelerates inference speeds, and reduces operational complexity. The company works with a diverse range of customers, from startups to large enterprises, including SKT and Upstage. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, FriendliAI’s mission is to make high-performance AI inference accessible, scalable, and cost-efficient for enterprises worldwide.
Funding Details
Company: FriendliAI, Inc.
Raised: $20.0M
Round: Seed Extension
Funding Date: September 2025
Lead Investor: Capstone Partners
Additional Investors: Sierra Ventures, Alumni Ventures, KDB, KB Securities
Company Website: https://friendli.ai/
Software Category: AI Infrastructure / AI Inference Platform
Source: https://friendli.ai/news/friendliai-raises-20m-in-seed-extension-round