Featherless.ai, a Singapore-co-founded AI startup, has secured $20 million in Series A funding to scale its serverless platform for open-source models.
The round was co-led by AMD Ventures and Airbus Ventures, with participation from BMW i Ventures, Kickstart Ventures, Panache Ventures, and Wavemaker Ventures.
From RWKV Roots to Global Ambition
Co-founder and CEO Eugene Cheah leads a team that pioneered RWKV, an efficient open-source architecture challenging transformer models in AI inference.
The company provides instant deployment of over 30,000 open models in language, vision, and audio, hosted in the US and EU to ensure data sovereignty and privacy.
This follows a $5 million seed round in early 2025, bringing total funding to around $25 million for a globally distributed team spanning Singapore, Canada, Europe, the US, and Australia.
Investor Confidence in Open AI
Investors praise Featherless.ai for enabling production-grade AI without lock-in to hyperscalers, as AMD Ventures head Sagi Paz noted its role in fostering a competitive ecosystem.
BMW i Ventures highlighted the platform's control over costs and data location, vital for enterprise adoption amid accelerating AI use.
Plans and Industry Impact
Future plans include expanding global infrastructure, launching a marketplace for specialized models, and integrating with diverse hardware like AMD's ROCm.
This funding arrives as concerns grow over Big Tech monopolies, positioning Featherless.ai to lower inference costs and promote AI accessibility.
In Singapore's booming AI hub—bolstered by government initiatives—Featherless.ai exemplifies how regional talent drives global innovation.
One non-obvious angle: By leveraging RWKV's efficiency, the platform could slash energy use in AI deployment, addressing sustainability in a power-hungry industry.
For everyday users, this means cheaper, flexible AI tools for apps and services without relying on expensive proprietary clouds.
Overall, Featherless.ai's rise signals a shift toward sovereign, open AI, potentially reshaping competition and innovation worldwide.
Maria Lourdes
