Monday.com introduces a $200 million fund for Monday Ventures focused on AI.
Monday.com is becoming an investor. The Israeli work management firm has introduced Monday Ventures, a corporate fund that aims to invest up to $200 million in startups developing the next generation of workplace AI, as reported by the Israeli business paper Globes.
The funding is already in motion. Monday Ventures plans to initially allocate $50 million, with any additional funds requiring board approval, issuing checks ranging from $1 million to $5 million across various stages of investment.
Aviel Ichai, previously with NEXT47, leads the venture, which has already completed three deals and has a fourth in the works: it headed the seed round for Blocks.diy, a workflow automation startup created by former Monday employees; supported Guidde, an AI training video platform, in its $50 million Series B funding; and participated in the $12 million seed round for NanoCo, the developer of an AI assistant called NanoClaw.
The rationale for Monday Ventures and its timing is significant. Monday.com’s shares dropped by about 21 percent in February due to disappointing forward guidance for Wall Street, a decline exacerbated by concerns surrounding the potential impact of AI agents on the work software market that Monday operates in.
After reporting $1.23 billion in revenue last year, the company has transitioned from being a work management tool to what it now refers to as an AI-agent platform with a consumption-based pricing model. The creation of the venture arm represents a proactive component of this strategy.
By acquiring minor stakes in startups focused on work-related AI, Monday gains early access to potentially disruptive tools, a foothold in Israel’s robust AI talent and deal flow, and a protective measure: if the industry shifts in a way that redefines work software, Monday aims to be a stakeholder rather than merely a target. Investing to gain insights proves to be more economical than facing unexpected changes.
Other software incumbents turning into venture capitalists share this approach. As AI transforms enterprise software, established companies are launching venture arms to maintain close ties with entities reshaping their markets rather than waiting to buy them later at inflated prices. This instinct fuels the current trend of deal-making focused on agentic AI throughout the sector.
However, corporate venture often serves as both an indication and a strategy, allowing firms to appear forward-thinking while their core businesses craft their own AI narratives. Monday has yet to formally outline the fund beyond the initial reports, and the true measure of success will be whether these investments effectively enhance their offerings.
For now, the message is clear: the company renowned for aiding teams in managing work now seeks to invest in the software that may automate that very process.
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Monday.com introduces a $200 million fund for Monday Ventures focused on AI.
Monday.com has introduced Monday Ventures, a fund of up to $200 million aimed at Israeli workplace-AI startups, initially deploying $50 million and having already completed three deals.