# Palona AI funding: rounds and investors

> Palona AI has raised $30M across 2 rounds since 2025. Investors include UpHonest Capital, Fusion Fund and Neo. Every round with its source.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/company/palona-ai (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

United States · [Series A startup](https://millionrounds.com/companies)

# Who invested in *Palona AI*

2 rounds we have observed, with the 3 investors named in them. Every figure came from a named source, and where the company reported a raise to the SEC itself, that is shown beside it.

AI

Raised 3 months ago

Funding summary Updated 26 Oct 2026

**$30M** raised across 2 rounds since 2025, from 2 sources

**$10M** Seed **$20M** Series A

- **Latest round:** Series A, $20M Aug 2026
- **Step-up i:** 2×
- **Investors:** 3

See who backed them

## The funding story

Each circle is a round, placed by date and sized by amount. The line above is the running total.

2025 2026

**$10M** Seed

**$20M** Series A

- **First round:** Seed, $10M
- **Biggest round:** $20M
- **Between rounds:** 19 months

## The rounds

- **Aug 2026** Series A **$20M** *2 returning* [UpHonest Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/uphonest-capital) [Fusion Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/fusion-fund-2) Source recorded
- **Jan 2025** Seed **$10M** *3 new* [Neo](https://millionrounds.com/fund/neo) [UpHonest Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/uphonest-capital) [Fusion Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/fusion-fund-2) Source recorded

## Founders and team

From Palona AI's own website: 3 founders, 5 on the team.

**Maria Zhang** CEO & Co-founder

**Steve Liu** Co-founder

**Tim Howes** Co-founder

- **Ali Templin** VP of Sales
- **Jason Jiang** Head of Engineering
- **Rena Ogura** VP of Business Operations & Strategy
- **Hai Huang** Lead Research Scientist
- **Jeff Crooks** Director of Engineering & Growth

## Who was in which round

The busiest backers across the latest rounds. A filled square is a round they joined; a dark one, a round they led.

**Seed** 2025 **Series A** 2026 [UpHonest Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/uphonest-capital) [Fusion Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/fusion-fund-2) [Neo](https://millionrounds.com/fund/neo)

## Everyone who backed them

[UpHonest Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/uphonest-capital) VC firm **2** rounds

[Fusion Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/fusion-fund-2) VC firm **2** rounds

[Neo](https://millionrounds.com/fund/neo) Accelerator **1** round

Missing a round, or an investor who was in one? [Tell us](https://millionrounds.com/corrections?slug=palona-ai).

## Quick answers about Palona AI

### Who invested in Palona AI?

Palona AI's investors include UpHonest Capital, Fusion Fund and Neo.

### How much has Palona AI raised?

Palona AI has raised $30M across 2 rounds since 2025.

### When did Palona AI last raise?

Palona AI's most recent round was a Series A of $20M in Aug 2026.

### What was Palona AI's biggest round?

Its most recent round, $20M in Aug 2026, is also its largest on record.

### Who backed Palona AI first?

Palona AI's first round on record, in Jan 2025, was backed by Neo, UpHonest Capital and Fusion Fund.

### What stage is Palona AI at?

Palona AI's latest named round is a Series A, in Aug 2026.

### Where is Palona AI based?

Palona AI is based in the United States.

## Companies like Palona AI

In the same sector, and raised in the last eighteen months.

[**SpaceX** $42B · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/spacex)[**xPay** $1.5M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/xpay)[**Albert Invent** $20M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/albert-invent)[**FORT Robotics** $39M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/fort-robotics)[**Pika** $216M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/pika)[**Vertical Semiconductor** $84M · Oct 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/vertical-semiconductor)

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