Business Insider Names 22 VC Firms Backing AI Social Startups as 2025 Funding Fell to $330 Million
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jul 24
Business Insider Names 22 VC Firms Backing AI Social Startups as 2025 Funding Fell to $330 Million
3 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jul 24
Summary
Business Insider’s third annual list spotlights investors at 22 VC firms still funding or scouting AI-driven social startups, even as consumer social remains a tough category for fundraising.
PitchBook data explains the tension: social startup funding peaked at 239 deals worth $2.2 billion in 2021, then slid to 97 deals totaling $330 million in 2025.
AI is lowering product-building costs and enabling new formats—from agentic relationship tools and AI dating apps to vibe-coding platforms and apps pushing users into real-world interaction.
Several firms are pairing that thesis with fresh capital or defined check sizes, including Menlo’s new $3 billion raise, A16z’s Speedrun offering up to $1 million, and Babylon writing pre-seed checks up to $250,000.
The broader bet is that AI can revive social networking beyond entertainment feeds, with investors framing the next wave around stickier consumer behavior, multiplayer agents, and what one called the internet’s 'future of joy.'