Clipto raises $15 million at $250 million valuation for AI-powered video and file search

San Francisco-based startup Clipto has raised $15 million in an equity funding round, valuing the AI-powered search platform at $250 million. Backed by investors like HSG and GL Ventures, the company plans to enhance its local file-indexing technology, which allows users to search videos, audio, and documents using natural language. Clipto has reached $15 million in annual recurring revenue and remains profitable, serving over 30 million users as it competes with tech giants like Adobe, Apple, and Google.

Clipto funding round

• ▪Clipto's $15 million funding round was backed by HSG, GL Ventures, EnvisionX Capital, Palm Drive Capital, Hans Tung, Lu Zhang, and 522 Ventures.
• ▪San Francisco-based startup Clipto raised $15 million in an equity financing round that valued the company at $250 million.
• ▪Clipto plans to use the $15 million in new funding to improve its AI models, expand computing infrastructure for consumer devices, and develop integrations with AI agents.

AI-powered file search platform

• ▪Clipto was founded in 2023 by Henry Kang, who previously researched object-recognizing robots at Carnegie Mellon University in 2006 and founded the video startup Zenvideo.
• ▪Clipto develops an AI-powered platform that indexes files on users' computers, including videos, audio recordings, images, documents, and meeting notes, to make them searchable via plain language.

User base growth

• ▪Video creators account for roughly one-quarter to one-third of Clipto's user base, with the remainder consisting of lawyers, doctors, researchers, marketers, HR professionals, professors, and students.
• ▪More than 30 million people have used Clipto's products since its launch, and the company has hundreds of thousands of paid subscribers.

Revenue metrics

• ▪Clipto reached $15 million in annual recurring revenue at the beginning of 2026 and remains profitable on a net income basis.
• ▪Clipto employs just over 20 people working across the San Francisco Bay Area, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Competition from tech giants

• ▪Clipto competes with Adobe, Apple, and Google, which offer AI-powered search features in products like Premiere, Apple Photos, and Google Photos.
• ▪Clipto aims to differentiate itself from tech giants by enabling simultaneous searches across multiple file types and allowing users to send selected materials to AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude.

Model Context Protocol integration

• ▪In August 2026, Clipto introduced support for the Model Context Protocol, allowing AI applications to connect to external data sources.
• ▪When connected via the Model Context Protocol, AI applications process Clipto's indexed files locally on the user's device, requiring active user authorization and avoiding mandatory cloud uploads.