Applied Intuition raises $600 million as it pushes further into defense

Applied Intuition, a prominent autonomous vehicle software company, has secured $600 million in a Series F funding round, elevating its valuation to $15 billion. The round was co-led by BlackRock-managed funds and Kleiner Perkins, with participation from new investors such as the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi Investment Council, alongside existing backers like General Catalyst and Bond. This funding comes just a year after a $250 million Series E round that valued the company at $6 billion. Applied Intuition specializes in software that aids both commercial companies and government agencies in developing autonomous vehicle technologies, including simulation tools and data management. The company serves major automakers and autonomous vehicle firms like Gatik and Kodiak, and has recently expanded its focus into the defense sector. Notably, Applied Intuition collaborated with the U.S. Army to rapidly develop autonomous capabilities for an infantry squad vehicle, transforming it from a basic model to fully autonomous within 10 days. This effort involved creating a robotic system capable of physically