Melius, an AI platform that generates ad campaigns, images, and videos, announced it raised $25 million in funding on Tuesday. The round includes a $20 million Series A led by CRV and a $5 million seed round led by General Catalyst. The New York-based startup emerged from stealth in July and has reached over $1 million in annualized revenue within two months, according to techcrunch.com.
The company was founded by former Ramp engineers Joowon Kim, Young Kim, and Arnav Ramu. Initially, they built an AI-powered performance marketing tool but decided after six months that the product lacked potential. Joowon Kim said they scrapped the entire codebase and shifted focus to creating tools that generate creative assets and campaigns themselves. Nearly a year after the initial launch, Melius revealed its new platform described as an “agents lab for creative work.”
Melius joins a growing number of startups targeting ad agencies, marketers, and brands with AI-driven creative asset generation. The pivot reflects a broader trend in marketing technology where automation of creative content is becoming a priority. The startup’s rapid revenue growth and fresh capital position it to compete in a market where AI tools are increasingly integrated into advertising workflows.
Melius’s $20 million Series A led by CRV and $5 million seed round led by General Catalyst were confirmed on Tuesday. The company’s co-founders have publicly shared their strategic pivot and growth milestones in an interview with techcrunch.com.