New York Startup Melius Raised $25 Million

The New York-based company pivoted from marketing tools to generative AI after a $20 million Series A funding round.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Startups

Isometric editorial illustration of interconnected modular blocks in oxblood, teal, and mustard, representing the structure of a generative AI lab. — New York-based startup Melius has raised $25 million in funding, including a $20 million Series A led by CRV, to support its pivot into generative AI. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Melius, a startup based in New York, has secured $25 million in total funding including a $20 million Series A led by CRV. The company previously raised a $5 million seed round led by General Catalyst.

Why it matters

The company decided to pivot after determining that its original performance marketing tool lacked sufficient market potential. Founders chose to scrap their entire original codebase to focus on a new AI agents lab for creative asset generation.

Melius reached $1 million in annualized revenue just two months after exiting stealth in July 2026. The startup now holds $25 million in total capital following its latest $20 million Series A round.

The players

Melius

A New York-based startup that provides an AI agents lab for generating creative assets like ad campaigns and videos.

CRV

A venture capital firm that led the $20 million Series A investment round for Melius.

General Catalyst

A prominent venture capital firm that led the initial $5 million seed round for Melius.

Higgsfield

A competing firm in the AI creative space that achieved a $5.4 billion valuation in August 2026 and $700 million in annualized revenue.

The details

The platform now utilizes plain language inputs to generate ad campaigns, images, and videos. The founders, who previously worked as engineers at Ramp, abandoned their initial performance marketing software to pursue this new creative focus.

Over a year ago, Melius launched its first marketing tool.
July 2026 marked the company's emergence from stealth.
October 6, 2026, was the date Melius announced its $25 million in total funding.

Market Landscape

The pivot toward generative creative tools positions Melius within a high-stakes sector defined by massive capital inflows and rapid scaling. The startup enters a competitive field where players like Higgsfield have already demonstrated potential for multi-billion dollar valuations.

Users can expect the platform to shift from performance marketing metrics toward automated creative content production. Customers should prepare for changes in service as the company replaces its legacy marketing tools with new generative AI capabilities.

The takeaway

Startups often find their most viable market opportunity only after initial product launches provide real-world performance data. A willingness to discard established codebases for more promising technology can be a necessary step for long-term growth.