Instinct Raises $1 Billion Series C at $10 Billion Valuation
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 29
Instinct Raises $1 Billion Series C at $10 Billion Valuation
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 29
Summary
$1 billion in new Series C funding values Instinct at $10 billion, with Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital and Coatue backing the 14-person AI agent startup.
Noah Shinn said the invite-only platform is nearing $1 billion in annual transaction volume, with more than 50% of activity tied to travel bookings and overall volume growing about 10% day by day.
That traction underpins Instinct's pitch that AI agents can replace travel and reservation interfaces by searching across airlines, hotels and restaurants and surfacing options in real time.
Shinn's broader ambition to reshape restaurant reservations has drawn criticism, with observers warning agents could game 'special occasion' claims and that many restaurants still value repeat local customers.
The funding arms Instinct in a crowded personal-agent race against rivals including Meta's Muse and Khosla-backed Wajo.
Instinct is nearing $1 billion in annualized booking volume, but can AI agents win convenience without sacrificing privacy, fairness, and platform trust?
Why is travel becoming the breakout use case for personal AI agents—and what breaks when those agents move into restaurant reservations?