Clipto raises $15m at $250m valuation for AI search
Clipto, a San Francisco-based startup that uses AI to make videos, audio, images and meetings searchable across a user's computer, has raised $15 million in an all-equity round at a $250 million post-money valuation. Rather than joining the wave of generative AI firms focused on creating new content, Clipto is targeting the growing problem of unmanageable file backlogs, letting users find footage and documents by describing them in natural language or via AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Claude.
The round was backed by HSG (formerly Sequoia China), GL Ventures, EnvisionX Capital, Palm Drive Capital, Hans Tung, Lu Zhang and 522 Ventures. Founded in 2023 by Henry Kang, whose earlier ventures included a wardrobe-tracking AI startup and ZenVideo (acquired by Tencent in 2020), Clipto has drawn more than 30 million users and hundreds of thousands of paying subscribers, with video creators now making up only a quarter to a third of its base. The company reached $15 million in annual recurring revenue in early 2026, says it is profitable, employs just over 20 people across the Bay Area, Hong Kong and Singapore, and recently added support for the Model Context Protocol so AI tools can query locally indexed files with user authorisation, competing against built-in search features from Adobe, Apple and Google.
- AI file-search startup Clipto raised $15M at a $250M valuation
- Lets users find videos, audio and documents via natural-language search
- Has 30M+ users, hundreds of thousands of paying subscribers, $15M ARR
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Clipto is a software company founded in 2023 that helps people find information inside files stored on their computers. Users can search videos, audio, images and meeting recordings by describing what they remember, rather than searching by file name.
The company was founded by Henry Kang and serves both creative professionals and other users with large collections of files. Its tools can also connect with AI assistants, allowing them to search a user’s indexed files when given permission.
Clipto operates in a market where companies including Adobe, Apple and Google offer their own search features. The wider issue is how people can locate useful material as their personal and work files accumulate across different formats.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Clipto’s funding can be seen as a bet on a practical problem: people have more video, audio and documents than they can easily search, and natural-language tools may make those files more useful. Its reported user growth, recurring revenue and profitability suggest the product has found demand, while local indexing with user authorisation could offer a useful way to connect AI assistants to personal files.
The case against
A $250 million valuation may be difficult to justify if demand or revenue growth falls short of investor expectations, particularly in a market where large technology firms can build search into products people already use. Indexing personal files also raises questions about privacy, security and user control; authorisation is important, but the company would need to sustain trust as its product and integrations expand.
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Originally published by TechCrunch as “Clipto uses AI to search terabytes of video and is now valued at $250M”.