Markets· August 17, 2026 at 12:48 p.m.
Stripe Acquires AI Model Gateway OpenRouter for Over $7 Billion
Key takeaways
- Stripe acquires OpenRouter for over $7 billion
- OpenRouter offers access to over 400 AI models
- Investors in OpenRouter include Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Menlo Ventures, and CapitalG
Tech giant Stripe has finalized a deal to acquire OpenRouter, an AI model gateway startup, for more than $7 billion. The acquisition follows OpenRouter's $113 million Series B funding round in March 2023, which valued the company at $1.3 billion. Previous reports suggested a potential price of around $10 billion. However, neither Stripe nor OpenRouter has confirmed the exact figure. Founded in New York in 2023, OpenRouter offers developers access to over 400 AI models, helping them find cost-efficient options and providing backup access when primary models fail. The startup's investors include Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Menlo Ventures, and CapitalG, one of Alphabet's venture arms.
