Artificial intelligence infrastructure company Chalk announced on Wednesday that it has secured $50 million in Series A funding, bringing the company’s valuation to $500 million. The round was led by venture capital firm Felicis, signaling strong investor confidence in the growing demand for real-time AI solutions. Based in San Francisco, Chalk positions itself as a next-generation platform aimed at helping businesses make rapid, data-driven decisions using proprietary data.

Chalk’s core offering is a platform that allows enterprises to integrate their internal data into AI and machine learning models in real time, rather than relying on traditional, slower batch processing methods. This capability is critical in sectors like finance and energy, where timely decisions can drive major competitive advantages. For example, fintech firms such as MoneyLion use Chalk to instantly detect fraud or approve loans, while Sunrun, a solar energy provider, employs Chalk’s tools to determine optimal rooftop panel placements.

CEO Marc Freed-Finnegan, one of Chalk’s co-founders alongside Elliot Marx and Andy Moreland, emphasized the shift in enterprise priorities. "In the past, companies would process data overnight or in batches. Today, the demand is for systems that can make real-time decisions as data flows in," Freed-Finnegan said. Chalk’s solution answers this need by offering infrastructure optimized for real-time AI applications, setting it apart from other data platforms.

Although Chalk operates in the same space as heavyweights like Databricks and Snowflake, it differentiates itself by focusing on streamlined, real-time integration of data into AI models. These incumbents have built reputations around large-scale data analytics and AI model governance, but Chalk claims its edge lies in its speed and flexibility for dynamic decision-making scenarios. As AI adoption accelerates, real-time capabilities are becoming a critical differentiator in enterprise AI infrastructure.

The funding comes amid a broader AI investment boom, as companies rush to capitalize on the increasing need to transform stored data into actionable insights. Giants like Databricks have raised massive funding rounds—Databricks’ $10 billion round last year being one of the largest in history—to expand their AI and data capabilities. Chalk’s success in raising significant capital at an early stage suggests investors see potential in smaller, more agile competitors that address specific market needs.

With its new funding, Chalk plans to scale its team and expand its platform’s reach across industries that demand rapid decision-making powered by AI. As enterprises seek to extract more value from their data, real-time processing will become increasingly important—not just in finance and energy, but across healthcare, retail, logistics, and beyond. Chalk’s mission is to become the go-to solution for companies looking to leverage AI at the speed of business, and this funding round is a major step toward realizing that vision.