NEWS / Technology
AlphaGo Co-Creator Thore Graepel Is Raising Startup Funding
Milena Thomas
Published Sep 24, 2026
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Summary:
- Thore Graepel, a co-creator of AlphaGo, departed Alphabet Inc.’s research arm in the summer and is now pitching a new venture.
- He’s exploring an initial round in the tens of millions from a small early group, with the possibility of adding hundreds of millions later at a richer valuation.
- His company, Metis Reasoning, says it is building AI that can handle unfamiliar problems and choose actions for uses in robotics, science and engineering.
What happened
Thore Graepel, a key figure behind AlphaGo, exited Alphabet Inc.’s research lab this summer and is gauging investor interest, according to people familiar with the talks. They say he is targeting a first check in the tens of millions from a tight early group, and could add a larger tranche in the hundreds of millions at a higher valuation.
These conversations are early and could shift in size or structure. The people requested anonymity because the talks are private. Requests for comment went unanswered by Graepel.
What Metis Reasoning is pitching
Graepel’s startup is called Metis Reasoning. Its website describes AI designed to confront novel situations and pick actions, with potential deployments in robotics, scientific work and engineering.
Part of the draw for backers is Graepel’s AlphaGo background. That system beat master Go players and raised the bar for what AI might do. Other notable AlphaGo alumni include OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Ineffable Intelligence founder David Silver.
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The funding scene and why investors care
Investors are looking past large language models to approaches that acquire skills through experience, perform foresightful planning, and engage with the physical world. The shared goal is to move from text responses to agents that can decide what to do next, a direction that could unlock more capable robots and software.
Recent markers: David Silver secured roughly $1 billion for Ineffable Intelligence, which aims to build a system trainedrmer Meta Platforms Inc. executive Yann LeCun attracted a comparable sum to pursue models capable of operating in the real world. Emulate, founded by three researchers involved in DeepMind’s practical AI initiatives, is negotiating a round at a $3 billion pre-money valuation, Bloomberg reported
Deal structures are evolving too. Tranched rounds, where startups raise in stages, are increasingly common. Young AI firms want higher marks to project confidence and reel in talent, while split rounds let marquee early backers buy in at a lower entry price and bring in later investors at an uplift.
What this means for your portfolio
This wave of AI is about doing, not just chatting. Keep an eye on who secures those early commitments and who later lands the bigger follow-on checks, because that often signals where top researchers head and which approaches get real traction.
Early opportunities may feel urgent, so a clear strategy keeps your money grounded. Our CEO Jaspreet Singh is hosting a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That’s Losing its Value, on September 29th. Sign up free to join him live.
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