Wirestock, a platform that connects artists and designers with AI companies seeking training data, announced in May 2026 that it has raised $23 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Nava Ventures, with participation from SBVP (co-founded by Sheryl Sandberg), Formula VC, and I2BF Ventures, bringing the company’s total capital raised to approximately $26 million.
Originally a stock photography distribution service, Wirestock pivoted in 2023 to become a data supplier for AI labs. The platform now provides datasets of images, videos, design assets, and gaming and 3D content to clients that include six of the largest foundation model makers, though CEO and co-founder Mikayel Khachatryan declined to name them. The company currently reports an annual run-rate revenue of $40 million and has paid out $15 million to its contributors to date.
Wirestock’s platform has grown to more than 700,000 artists and designers who complete data collection tasks, up from roughly 100,000 photographers in 2022. Khachatryan said the company was transparent about its shift and allowed existing users to opt out of the data supply business, with “the majority” choosing to participate. Contributors must complete an unpaid quality-check task before being accepted, and submitted work is evaluated through a combination of AI and human review.
“Initially, a lot of our deals were just selling what we had off the shelf, like our existing library. But then it turned into a lot of custom requests for content and data, and that created new opportunities for creators, and the platform just took off,” Khachatryan said.
Wirestock currently employs 60 people and plans to use the new funding to hire across research, engineering, and product roles. The company is also developing enterprise software to help AI labs collaborate on datasets, and is exploring additional content modalities including audio and music.
Source: TechCrunch