27 Jul 2026 3 min read Western Hemisphere

AI Video Unicorn Runway Adds Latin America's Monashees After SoftBank, General Atlantic

Runway, the New York-based generative AI video platform valued at roughly $5.3 billion, has secured a minority investment from Monashees, one of Latin America's oldest and most influential venture capital firms. The deal size was not disclosed. The move is designed to accelerate Runway's presence in Brazil, a market the company has identified as a priority for international growth. Runway is led by co-CEOs Cristóbal Valenzuela and Anastasis Germanidis, alongside co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer Alejandro Matamala Ortiz; the three founded the company in 2018 while studying at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

The Monashees investment follows a string of high-profile backers, including SoftBank, Nvidia, and General Atlantic. It comes as Runway has spent recent months opening a research and engineering hub in Paris, a European headquarters in London, and an office in Tokyo — moves that together represent roughly $300 million in global investment. In Brazil, the rollout will start modestly: on July 28, Runway will host an event in São Paulo with content creators, marketing executives, and agencies, with plans to later bring its AI Film Festival to the country. Opening a local office is not currently on the roadmap.

Market Context

Runway's fundraising has been prolific: a 2018 seed round led by Amplify Partners, a $141 million Series C in 2023 (Google, Nvidia, Salesforce), a Series D led by General Atlantic, and a $315 million Series E closed in February 2026 — again led by General Atlantic, with Nvidia, Adobe, AMD Ventures, Fidelity, AllianceBernstein, Mirae Asset, Premji Invest, and Felicis participating. Total funding now stands near $860 million. Globally, AI-video startups pulled in $3.08 billion in 2025 alone, according to Crunchbase — underscoring how competitive the category has become as Runway positions itself against larger labs like Google and OpenAI.

Brazil's pull is not incidental. The country ranks second globally in active generative AI tool usage, at 51% of respondents, trailing only India, according to a Cisco/OECD survey cited by Exame. Corporate AI adoption in Brazil rose from 13% in 2024 to 17% in 2025, and among large companies, from 38% to 50%. Monashees brings more than capital: its portfolio includes 99, Rappi, Neon, Nomad, and Moises, giving Runway a built-in network of entrepreneurs across the region.

The Signal

"It's one of the fastest-growing markets in AI usage, both among consumers and companies. We need to be present in the country."
— Alejandro Matamala, co-founder, Runway

Regional Relevance

For the United States: Runway remains headquartered in New York, and its latest raise — backed by U.S. institutional heavyweights like Fidelity, AllianceBernstein, and General Atlantic — reinforces the city's position as a hub for applied AI research outside the traditional Silicon Valley axis. The deal also reflects a broader pattern of U.S.-based AI companies using international capital and local partners, rather than direct market entry, to scale abroad efficiently.

For Brazil: The investment signals growing confidence among global AI leaders that Brazil is more than a consumer market — it's a strategic one. Monashees' involvement plugs Runway into an established entrepreneurial network spanning fintech, logistics, and consumer tech, potentially accelerating enterprise adoption among retail, advertising, and e-commerce players the company has flagged as early targets.

The Other Side

Is a minority, undisclosed-size investment more symbolic than substantive? Possibly. Runway has never lacked capital — its $860 million war chest dwarfs anything a single VC check could add. Monashees' value here is arguably more about access and credibility with local founders than capital itself.

Does the absence of a Brazil office signal hesitation? It could reflect caution rather than commitment. Entering via events and community-building, without local infrastructure, allows Runway to test demand before making a heavier bet — a sensible hedge, but one that limits how quickly it can convert interest into revenue.

Can Runway sustain its lead as compute costs and competition intensify? With Google and OpenAI pouring resources into video and "world model" research, Runway's shift toward simulating physical environments is ambitious and capital-intensive. Whether its creative-industry focus is a durable moat — or a niche vulnerable to platform giants — remains an open question for investors.