# Vals raises $40 million series a to expand AI benchmarking

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-09-19T13:00:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/vals-raises-40-million-series-a-to-expand-ai-benchmarking

## Summary

Vals, a startup founded in 2024 to improve AI model evaluation, says current benchmarks are outdated and often serve more as PR tools than real performance measures. Co‑founder Rayan Krishnan, 25, describes the company’s approach as testing models on industry‑specific tasks such as law, finance, coding, mental health, cybersecurity, bio‑security, and even compliance with the Geneva Convention. By keeping test materials private, Vals aims to prevent models from being trained to cheat on public benchmarks.

The firm secured a seed round last year from 8VC and Bloomberg Beta, then raised $40 million in a series A led by Andreessen Horowitz. Krishnan reports revenue is now eight times what it was a year ago and the team has grown from eight to 25 employees, with plans to add 10‑15 more and move to a larger office. Vals also launched a program offering model evaluations to federal agencies, positioning its benchmarks as a key factor in AI companies’ investment and regulatory decisions.

## Key points

- Vals raised $40 million series a led by Andreessen Horowitz after a seed round from 8VC and Bloomberg Beta.
- Revenue is now eight times last year; staff grew from eight to 25 employees.
- Benchmarks assess industry‑specific tasks like law, finance, coding, and Geneva Convention compliance.

## Why it matters

Industry‑focused benchmarking gives AI developers reliable performance data, influencing model selection, investment decisions, and regulatory scrutiny, shaping AI adoption.

## Sources

1. [Vals, backed by Andreessen Horowitz, is looking to become the gold standard for AI benchmarking](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/19/vals-backed-by-andreessen-horowitz-is-looking-to-become-the-gold-standard-for-ai-benchmarking) (TechCrunch AI, 2026-09-19)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Vals raises $40 million series a to expand AI benchmarking", 19 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/vals-raises-40-million-series-a-to-expand-ai-benchmarking

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