Protege, an AI data platform enabling trusted access to real-world data at scale, announced the completion of a $30 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), expanding a previously announced round and bringing total funding since 2024 to $65 million, with continued participation from Footwork, CRV, Bloomberg Beta, Flex Capital, Shaper Capital, and others.
“Across industries, we’re seeing demand for real-world data grow faster than the market’s ability to supply it responsibly,” said Bobby Samuels, CEO and co-founder of Protege. “At the same time, data is highly fragmented, and neither data holders nor AI builders are set up to operationalize it at scale. Protege serves as a trusted source of curated, and AI-ready data while unlocking new revenue streams for data providers. Partnering with Andreessen Horowitz allows us to scale this model and deliver high-quality, use-case-specific data that AI research teams can trust.”
Protege provides licensed access to private and proprietary datasets across formats including media, audio, de-identified health records, and medical imaging, combining aggregation with technical expertise to curate and optimize data for AI training and evaluation. The platform works with leading AI companies and institutions worldwide, including most of the “Magnificent Seven,” supporting next-generation AI development.
“Access to data is the biggest bottleneck to the advancement of AI,” said Travis May, Chairman and co-founder of Protege. “The next phase of AI will be driven by real-world, proprietary data generated through everyday human activity. Protege is pioneering ways to safely access this information across data sources and compensate data owners to unlock AI’s potential.”
During 2025, Protege expanded its partner network to hundreds of organizations, enabling aggregated access to new data sources and formats while sharing revenue with data providers on each use.
“The next era of AI will be shaped by who can responsibly unlock access to the world’s most valuable data,” said Daisy Wolf, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “Protege has built a platform that respects the complexity of real-world data across industries while making it usable for modern AI development. Their momentum reflects a broader shift in the market, and we’re proud to support the team as they scale this critical layer of the AI ecosystem.”
The new capital will support product development, expansion into additional data domains and formats, deeper institutional partnerships, and scaling of infrastructure to deliver AI-ready, rights-protected real-world data.