AI Startup Hone Raises $60 Million for Autonomous Agents
Hone raised $60 million in seed funding to develop AI agents that autonomously manage long-term business operations and professional outcomes.
Former employees from OpenAI and Cognition AI Inc. have launched Hone, a startup creating AI agents designed to autonomously manage business operations. The company raised $60 million in a seed round led by Benchmark and Index Ventures, giving the five-month-old startup a valuation of $285 million.
Hone differs from task-specific AI by deploying engines capable of handling long-running responsibilities over weeks or months, requiring human intervention only as needed. Early customers include Modal and Cognition, with the latter utilizing the technology for go-to-market efforts.
To mitigate risks of AI security breaches, the company is developing specific guardrails to protect customers from cybersecurity incidents. The startup aims to move beyond point solutions to create systems that take full ownership of professional outcomes within an organization.
