Instinct raises $1 billion Series C at $10 billion valuation

Invite-only AI agent Instinct raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation, with travel making up more than half of transactions.

Instinct, an invite-only consumer AI agent that launched in August 2026, raised a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital and Coatue, TechCrunch reported on Sept. 28 and 29, 2026. The 14-person company, founded by Noah Shinn, says the agent books travel, pays bills and cancels subscriptions using its own phone number and computer, and has added concierge calling and a trusted-person network. Shinn said more than half of platform transactions are travel-related, annualized volume is approaching $1 billion, and usage is growing about 10% day over day. The Sept. 28 summary said the round came one month after a $2.5 billion round, while that report's points called the earlier figure a $2.5 billion valuation; the accounts do not reconcile the difference. Instinct competes with Meta's Muse, which tops U.S. app stores with millions of downloads, and with Khosla-backed Wajo. Users have raised privacy concerns about the personal information such agents require, and Instinct has updated an initially overreaching privacy policy.

• Instinct raised a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital and Coatue.
• The invite-only consumer AI agent launched in August 2026; the company has 14 people and was founded by Noah Shinn.
• Sources disagree on the prior figure: the Sept. 28 summary says a $2.5 billion round a month earlier, while that report's points say a $2.5 billion valuation.
• Shinn said more than 50% of transactions are travel-related, annualized volume is approaching $1 billion, and usage is growing about 10% day over day.
• The agent books travel, pays bills and cancels subscriptions using its own phone number and computer, and added concierge calling plus a trusted-person network.
• Rivals include Meta's Muse, which tops U.S. app stores with millions of downloads, and Khosla-backed Wajo.
• Users raised privacy concerns about personal data the agent requires; Instinct updated an initially overreaching privacy policy.