Nous Research takes Hermes Agent to business after a $90 million raise
AI agent
A software helper that can carry out several steps toward a task.
open-source
Software whose code is available for people to inspect and reuse.
valuation
An estimate of what a company is worth.
What happened
Nous Research, an AI company focused on open models and agents, raised $90 million. The Series B round values the three-year-old startup at $1.5 billion, TechCrunch reported on October 7, 2026. Robot Ventures led the round. Nvidia, Microsoft’s M12, Samsung, Union Square Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Y Combinator, and 1789 Capital also participated. The funding brings Nous Research’s reported total to $158 million. TechCrunch report
What Hermes Agent does
Hermes Agent is Nous Research’s open-source AI agent. It is designed to do more than answer one question. The company says users can choose where Hermes runs and which models it uses. Hermes can remember projects, create reusable skills while it works, and carry knowledge across sessions. Nous released Hermes under the MIT License in February 2026. Nous Research fundraise note
The product became popular with developers and individual users. Nous says Hermes has been cloned more than 24 million times. It also estimates that Hermes drives about 2.5 percent of global AI token usage. Those figures come from the company, not an independent audit.
Why the company is moving into business
The new capital will support “Hermes for Businesses.” Nous wants companies to deploy customized agents for multi-step workflows. It also says the product will help businesses keep their data private and secure.
That plan extends Hermes from a public developer tool into a business system. Companies could choose their models and where their agents run. Nous presents that choice as a way to reduce lock-in and give customers more control over their own knowledge. These are the company’s goals, not proven results from the business product.
Why this matters
The deal shows investors see a path from open-source adoption to enterprise revenue. It also highlights a larger tension in AI. Powerful tools can spread openly, while companies still need money, support, and reliable controls to use them at work.
A $1.5 billion valuation signals strong expectations. It does not prove that Nous is profitable, or that Hermes for Businesses will succeed. The 24 million clone count also does not tell us how many people use Hermes regularly. A copied project and an active business customer are different measures.
What is confirmed
The funding amount, the main investors, and the plan for Hermes for Businesses appear in Nous Research’s own fundraise note and TechCrunch’s report. Nous’s note also describes its open approach and Hermes’s MIT license.
TechCrunch cited the Wall Street Journal for another figure. It reported that Nous had about $36 million in annualized revenue by mid-September 2026. The company expected to exceed $100 million before the end of the year. That second number is a forecast, not a finished result. The official note confirms the raise but does not state the $1.5 billion valuation.
What to watch next
The important next details are practical. When will the business product launch? What will it cost? Which models and deployment choices will customers get? How will companies inspect, limit, and protect an agent’s work?
The test is not only whether Hermes can complete several steps. It is whether businesses can use it reliably while keeping control of their data, costs, and decisions.
Hermes Agent is moving from developers to businesses
📰 Full story: Nous Research takes Hermes Agent to business after a $90 million raise
Nous Research raised $90 million and plans a business version of its AI agent.
Series B
A later funding round for a growing startup.
open source
Software whose code is available for people to inspect and reuse.
valuation
An estimate of what a company is worth.
💡 The gist
- Nous Research raised $90 million.
- TechCrunch reported a $1.5 billion valuation.
- Its Hermes Agent will target businesses.
Nous Research is an AI company that builds open tools. It makes Hermes Agent, a digital helper for tasks.
On October 7, 2026, the company confirmed a Series B round. A Series B is a later funding round for a growing startup. Robot Ventures led the round. Nvidia, Microsoft’s M12, Samsung, and other investors joined. Total reported funding reached $158 million.
Hermes Agent is open source. This means people can inspect and reuse its code. The company says users can choose where Hermes runs. They can also choose which AI models it uses.
Hermes can remember projects and create reusable skills. It can carry knowledge into later sessions. These features aim to help with longer tasks, not just single questions.
Nous says Hermes has been copied more than 24 million times. It estimates that Hermes handles about 2.5 percent of global AI token use. A token is a small piece of text processed by an AI system. These numbers are company estimates.
The new money will support Hermes for Businesses. This version will let companies customize agents for multi-step workflows. Nous also says businesses can keep their data private and secure.
Why does this matter? It could move Hermes from a popular developer tool into workplace software. Nous wants companies to choose their models and where agents run. That could give customers more control. It could also make it easier to avoid depending on one provider.
But important questions remain. The business product’s price and launch date are not clear. We do not yet know how well it will work for real companies. We also need independent checks of the usage claims.
TechCrunch cited the Wall Street Journal on revenue. Nous had about $36 million in annualized revenue by mid-September, the report said. It expected more than $100 million by year-end. That second figure is a forecast. The next test is whether Hermes can deliver reliable results and protect company data.
An AI helper is heading to workplaces
📰 Full story: Nous Research takes Hermes Agent to business after a $90 million raise
Nous Research wants Hermes Agent to help companies with work.
Hermes Agent
Nous Research’s computer helper for doing tasks.
Nous Research is a company that makes computer helpers. It raised $90 million to grow.
News reports put its company value at $1.5 billion. That number is an estimate of the company’s worth.
Hermes Agent is Nous Research’s AI helper. It helps people do tasks. It can remember projects. It can reuse skills it made before. Its building code is open for people to see.
Nous says people copied Hermes more than 24 million times. That is the company’s own count.
Now, Nous wants Hermes to help businesses. The business helper could do several steps in one job. Nous also wants it to protect company data.
We do not know its price yet. We do not know when it will start. We do not know how well it will work. People will learn those answers next.