Japan's Sakana AI raises $135 mn fund at $2.5 bn valuation, but without newly raised capital

Tokyo's Sakana AI raised ¥20 billion ($135M) in Series B, valuing it at $2.65B. Founded in 2023, it creates AI models tailored to Japanese language and culture. The funds will boost R&D, model development, and expansion into industrial, manufacturing, and government sectors by 2026.