Runway Partners With Monashees to Accelerate AI Video Growth in Brazil
Runway has secured a minority investment from Monashees to accelerate its expansion in Brazil, strengthening its presence in one of the world's fastest-growing generative AI markets.
Runway is accelerating its international expansion after securing a minority investment from Brazilian venture capital firm Monashees. Although the financial terms were not disclosed, the partnership is aimed at strengthening the generative AI video company's presence in Brazil, a market it considers a strategic priority for future growth.
Founded in 2018 by Cristóbal Valenzuela, Anastasis Germanidis, and Alejandro Matamala Ortiz while they were studying at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, the New York-based company has grown into one of the most valuable startups in the generative AI space, with an estimated valuation of approximately $5.3 billion.
Monashees to Support Runway's Expansion Strategy in Brazil
The investment marks another milestone in Runway's global expansion strategy. Rather than focusing on additional capital, the partnership is expected to provide the company with access to Monashees' extensive entrepreneurial network across Latin America.
Monashees is one of the region's longest-standing venture capital firms and has invested in companies including 99, Rappi, Neon, Nomad, and Moises. This ecosystem is expected to help Runway strengthen relationships with businesses operating in sectors such as retail, advertising, and e-commerce.
Brazil will serve as the company's initial focus in Latin America. On July 28, Runway will host an event in São Paulo bringing together content creators, marketing executives, and advertising agencies. The company also plans to introduce its AI Film Festival to the country at a later stage. However, opening a local office is not currently part of its roadmap.
"We need to be present in the country. It's one of the fastest-growing markets in AI usage, both among consumers and companies," said Alejandro Matamala, Runway's co-founder.
Global Expansion Continues Alongside Strong Investor Support
The Monashees investment follows several months of international expansion for Runway. The company recently established a research and engineering hub in Paris, opened its European headquarters in London, and launched an office in Tokyo. Together, these initiatives represent approximately US$300 million in global investment.
Runway has also attracted backing from some of the world's largest technology and investment firms. Previous investors include SoftBank, Nvidia, and General Atlantic.
Its fundraising history began with a seed round led by Amplify Partners in 2018, followed by a US$141 million Series C in 2023 backed by Google, Nvidia, and Salesforce. The company later completed a Series D led by General Atlantic before closing a US$315 million Series E round in February 2026, also led by General Atlantic, with participation from Nvidia, Adobe, AMD Ventures, Fidelity, AllianceBernstein, Mirae Asset, Premji Invest, and Felicis.
Following that financing, Runway's total funding has reached approximately $860 million.
Brazil Emerges as a Strategic AI Market
Brazil's growing adoption of artificial intelligence has become one of the key factors behind Runway's expansion plans.
According to a Cisco/OECD survey cited by Exame, Brazil ranks second globally in active usage of generative AI tools, with 51% of respondents reporting active use, behind only India.
The same data also highlights increasing corporate adoption. AI implementation among Brazilian companies rose from 13% in 2024 to 17% in 2025, while adoption among large enterprises increased from 38% to 50% during the same period.
These indicators reinforce Brazil's position not only as a large consumer market for AI technologies but also as an increasingly important destination for enterprise adoption.
Competition Intensifies in the AI Video Industry
Runway's latest expansion comes as competition in AI-generated video continues to accelerate.
According to Crunchbase, startups developing AI video technologies raised $3.08 billion during 2025 alone, reflecting growing investor interest in the sector as companies compete to develop increasingly advanced generative video models.
The company is also positioning itself against larger AI laboratories such as Google and OpenAI while expanding its research into simulating physical environments through AI-generated video.
Why the Monashees Partnership Matters
Although the size of the investment was not disclosed, its strategic importance extends beyond the capital itself.
Given Runway's nearly US$860 million in total funding, the partnership is widely viewed as an opportunity to leverage Monashees' local expertise and connections rather than secure additional financing.
At the same time, Runway's decision to enter Brazil through community events and partnerships, instead of establishing a local office, allows the company to evaluate market demand before making a larger operational commitment.
As competition in generative AI continues to intensify, the company's ability to combine global technological development with local partnerships may play an important role in determining the pace of its international expansion.
