OpenAI has pledged up to $1.5bn to a new joint venture with private equity firms to expand its enterprise AI business and compete with rival Anthropic. The venture, named “DeployCo,” will start with a $500mn equity contribution from OpenAI and be valued at $10bn in a funding round expected to close in early May, with an option for an additional $1bn later. Investors including TPG, Bain Capital, Advent International, Brookfield, and Goanna Capital will invest a further $4bn. DeployCo will embed A

OpenAI has pledged up to $1.5bn to a new joint venture with private equity firms to expand its enterprise AI business and compete with rival Anthropic. The venture, named “DeployCo,” will start with a $500mn equity contribution from OpenAI and be valued at $10bn in a funding round expected to close in early May, with an option for an additional $1bn later. Investors including TPG, Bain Capital, Advent International, Brookfield, and Goanna Capital will invest a further $4bn. DeployCo will embed AI tools into portfolio companies of its PE backers and hire its own staff alongside OpenAI secondees. The PE investors are set to commit for five years with a guaranteed 17.5% annual return, while OpenAI gains “patient capital” and potential future deal-making flexibility using its equity stake.