SenseTime
About SenseTime
SenseTime is a AI Model Development startup based in Hong Kong that has raised $2.8B in venture capital across 6 funding rounds since 2014. The company reached IPO stage in July 2017 with a $410M round led by CDH Investments. SenseTime's investor base includes 12 institutional funds, with SoftBank Vision Fund leading the most recent equity round.
SenseTime Group is a Chinese artificial intelligence company founded in October 2014 by Tang Xiao'ou, a professor of information engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Xu Li, who serves as co-founder and CEO. The company develops and commercializes AI perception technologies across facial recognition, object detection, image segmentation, optical character recognition, medical image analysis, autonomous driving, and video surveillance — positioning itself as the leading AI software platform for enterprise and government customers in Asia. The company's core platform, SenseFoundry, is deployed across smart city infrastructure, financial services, retail analytics, and education. In healthcare, SenseTime's medical imaging tools aid diagnostic accuracy across radiology and ophthalmology. In mobility, the company's SenseDrive autonomous driving system is integrated with SAIC Motor, Beijing Auto, and Nio. The company counts Alibaba, HSBC, DJI, Honda, and dozens of municipal governments among its customers. SenseTime established itself as the world's most valuable AI startup following a record Series B round in 2017 and a succession of landmark fundraises through 2018. SoftBank Vision Fund led a $1 billion Series D in September 2018, valuing the company at $7.7 billion. It raised additional capital in 2021 and completed its IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in December 2021, raising approximately $875 million at a valuation of $7 billion despite a delay caused by U.S. sanctions listing. Tang Xiao'ou passed away in December 2023 at age 55; Xu Li continues as CEO. The company has since expanded into generative AI with its SenseNova large language model suite.
SenseTime Funding Rounds Timeline
6 rounds · $2.8B raised · since 2014
| Round | Date | Amount | Valuation | Lead investor | Co-investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series B | July 2017 | $410M | — | CDH Investments | Sailing Capital, IDG Capital |
| Series C | April 2018 | $600M | $3B | Alibaba Group | Temasek, Suning.com |
| Series C+ | May 2018 | $620M | $4.5B | — | Qualcomm Ventures, Silver Lake, Tiger Global Management, Fidelity, Hopu Capital |
| Series D | September 2018 | $1B | $7.7B | SoftBank Vision Fund | — |
Investors in SenseTime
12 institutional investors across 6 rounds
Lead investors
Co-investors
Recent news about SenseTime
Questions about SenseTime
How much has SenseTime raised?
SenseTime has raised $2.8B across 6 funding rounds since 2014.
Who are the investors of SenseTime?
SenseTime's investors include SoftBank Vision Fund, Alibaba Group, CDH Investments, Qualcomm Ventures, Silver Lake, Tiger Global Management, Temasek, IDG Capital, Sailing Capital, Suning.com, Fidelity, Hopu Capital.
When was SenseTime's last funding round?
SenseTime's most recent round was a $410M Series B in July 2017, led by CDH Investments.
What is SenseTime's valuation?
SenseTime reached a $7B valuation (unicorn status) with its Series B round in July 2017.
Where is SenseTime headquartered?
SenseTime is headquartered in Hong Kong, and was founded in 2014 by Tang Xiao'ou, Xu Li.