Runway has announced a $10 million venture fund to support early-stage startups working across artificial intelligence, media, and simulation technologies. In addition, the company has introduced a Builders program that offers free API credits to startups from seed to Series C stages.

The move signals a shift in strategy. While Runway is known for its AI video-generation tools, it is now focusing on building a broader ecosystem around what it describes as “video intelligence.”

Focus on wider AI use cases

Over the past few years, Runway has gained adoption across film, advertising, and marketing industries. However, the launch of its “general world models” in late 2025 marked a transition toward more advanced and interactive AI systems.

According to co-founder Alejandro Matamala-Ortiz, the company aims to explore use cases that extend beyond its current capabilities. Therefore, it is partnering with startups to experiment with new applications across industries.

Investment thesis and focus areas

Runway’s new fund will invest in three key areas:

• Teams developing advanced AI architectures

• Startups building application layers on top of foundation models

• Companies exploring new formats of media, storytelling, and distribution

This structured approach allows Runway to support both technical innovation and practical use cases.

Early investments and ecosystem development

Over the past 18 months, Runway has already backed several startups. These include LanceDB, which builds databases for AI applications, and Tamarind Bio, which focuses on protein design for drug development.

Some portfolio companies, such as Cartesia, are working on technologies that complement Runway’s existing offerings. This indicates a focus on building an interconnected ecosystem rather than standalone products.

Funding background and market context

Runway has raised close to $860 million to date from investors including Nvidia and Qatar Investment Authority. The company is currently valued at around $5.3 billion.

The newly launched fund will write cheques of up to $500,000 for pre-seed and seed-stage startups. It has been backed by existing investors and strategic partners.

Runway joins a growing list of AI companies investing in early-stage startups. For instance, OpenAI operates its own startup fund, while Perplexity AI and CoreWeave have also launched similar initiatives.

Builders program and API access

Alongside the fund, Runway has introduced a Builders program designed to support early-stage startups with technical resources. Eligible companies will receive up to 500,000 API credits and access to “Characters,” a real-time video agent API.

This tool allows developers to create interactive AI agents with visual and voice capabilities. As a result, startups can build applications such as customer support agents, virtual assistants, and interactive brand experiences.

Use cases across industries

The initial cohort of the Builders program includes startups such as Cartesia, MSCHF, Oasys Health, Spara, Subject, and Supersonik. These companies are using Runway’s technology for various applications, including:

• AI-driven customer support

• Interactive brand characters

• Personalised onboarding tools

• Real-time sales assistants

• Synthetic media solutions

Moreover, sectors like telemedicine, education, gaming, and entertainment are expected to benefit from these developments.

Emerging competition and future outlook

Other companies, including Inworld AI and Charisma AI, are also building interactive AI character platforms. Meanwhile, Character.AI has already gained traction among users.

Runway’s approach reflects a broader trend toward multimodal AI systems that combine video, audio, text, and images. As these technologies evolve, companies are exploring more immersive and real-time digital experiences.