January 25, 2026, Victor Riparbelli (CEO) and Steffen Tjerrild (COO & CFO) solidified Synthesia’s status as the global leader in generative video, capping off a weekend of intense industry speculation with a massive milestone in the fintech and AI sectors.
The following achievements were finalized and internally celebrated on this date, leading into their official global announcement the following morning:
1. Secured $200 Million Series E at a $4 Billion Valuation
The founders successfully closed a $200 million Series E funding round, which officially doubled the company's valuation to $4 billion.
Lead Investor: The round was led by Google Ventures (GV), with continued backing from Nvidia’s NVentures, Accel, and Kleiner Perkins.
The "Unicorn" Leap: This achievement established Synthesia as the UK’s most valuable generative AI company, proving that "applied AI" with clear enterprise utility could maintain hyper-growth despite broader market corrections.
2. Launched the "AI Agent" Strategic Pivot
On January 25, the founders officially transitioned Synthesia’s core focus from "video generation" to "Agentic Hospitality and Learning." * Conversational AI Agents: They introduced a new class of interactive AI agents that allow employees to "talk" to company knowledge bases through photorealistic avatars.
Interactive Training: Moving beyond passive video, these agents can role-play scenarios, answer complex HR questions, and provide real-time coaching, marking the end of the "static video" era for corporate training.
3. Surpassed $150 Million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)
As the books closed for the period ending January 25, Tjerrild reported that the company had reached $150 million in ARR, a staggering jump from $100 million just nine months prior.
Enterprise Dominance: Their client list grew to include over 90% of the Fortune 100, with new massive contracts from Microsoft and SAP finalized in the weeks leading up to this date.
Operational Efficiency: Despite a workforce expansion to 600 employees, the founders maintained a lean "founder mode" structure, emphasizing productivity gains through their own internal use of AI tools.
4. Facilitated a Landmark Employee Liquidity Event
In a rare move for a private UK startup, Riparbelli and Tjerrild announced a partnership with Nasdaq to allow early employees to sell secondary shares at the new $4 billion valuation. This event was designed to reward long-term "Synthesians" and cement the company's reputation as a top-tier employer in the global AI talent war.
