Motion, supported by Y Combinator, secures $38M to develop the AI agent equivalent of Microsoft...

📅 Published: 9/8/2025
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 5:31:01 PM
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Motion, a Y Combinator-backed startup, has secured $38 million in funding to develop an advanced AI agent aimed at transforming work management, positioning itself as a significant competitor to Microsoft’s AI initiatives. This fresh capital will accelerate Motion’s mission to automate task planning and boost productivity by building an AI-native platform that manages “AI Employees” within team workflows.

Founded in 2020 and incubated at Y Combinator, Motion has st...

Founded in 2020 and incubated at Y Combinator, Motion has steadily raised over $63 million across multiple funding rounds, including seed, Series A, B, and C rounds. The latest funding round, completed in mid-2024, brought in approximately $36.5 million, with undisclosed lead investors, pushing the company closer to its goal of global expansion and AI enhancement[1]. While the exact $38 million figure in the headline likely reflects a recent cumulative or extended raise, it aligns closely with the most recent Series C round disclosed.

Motion’s core technology focuses on an AI-driven prioritizat...

Motion’s core technology focuses on an AI-driven prioritization algorithm that automates the complex and variable task of scheduling and task execution, an area where traditional solutions often require manual input and fail to optimize effectively[2]. By enabling users to build and manage AI Employees directly within its work management platform, Motion aims to double productivity by handling coordination and task planning autonomously, reducing the burden on human teams.

The company has attracted notable attention and investment f...

The company has attracted notable attention and investment from prominent figures in the tech industry, including angel investors such as Sam Altman and Michael Seibel, who recognize Motion’s potential to revolutionize workplace productivity through AI[2]. CEO Harry Qi has emphasized the engineering challenge involved in personalized scheduling and the necessity for high performance and efficiency, which Motion’s technology is designed to address.

Motion currently operates with a team of around 65 employees...

Motion currently operates with a team of around 65 employees based in San Francisco and continues to expand its capabilities and market reach through strategic funding and product development[4]. Its vision to create an AI agent rivaling Microsoft’s AI tools underscores the competitive landscape of AI-powered productivity platforms, where Motion stands out by focusing on seamless automation of work management tasks.

In summary, Motion’s recent $38 million funding round, suppo...

In summary, Motion’s recent $38 million funding round, supported by Y Combinator and a group of high-profile investors, marks a significant milestone in its journey to develop an AI agent capable of transforming how teams plan, coordinate, and execute work—potentially positioning it alongside major players like Microsoft in the AI productivity space.

🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 3:10:35 PM
Consumer and public reaction to Motion's $38M funding round, backed by Y Combinator, has been notably positive, especially among small and mid-sized businesses eager for affordable AI solutions. Users appreciate that Motion integrates multiple AI agents—covering tasks from scheduling to customer support—into one platform, with pricing starting as low as $29 per month, making advanced AI capabilities accessible without massive budgets[1]. One early adopter said, “Motion is a game-changer for small businesses like ours, automating tasks that used to take hours,” reflecting widespread enthusiasm for its practical benefits[1].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 3:20:37 PM
Motion, backed by Y Combinator, secured $38 million in a Series C funding round—part of a total $60 million raised recently at a $550 million valuation—to build an AI agent suite positioned as the "Microsoft Office of AI agents"[1][4]. The funding attracted global investor interest, with Scale Venture Partners leading and new investors including Valor Equity Partners and over a dozen unicorn founders, reflecting strong international confidence in Motion's mission to enable SMBs worldwide to harness AI for operational efficiency[1]. Stacey Bishop of Scale Venture Partners highlighted Motion’s global impact potential, emphasizing how it addresses a universal challenge for small and mid-market businesses aiming to adopt AI but lacking starting points[1].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 3:30:43 PM
Motion, supported by Y Combinator, has secured $38 million in a Series C funding round, part of a total $75 million raised to develop an integrated AI agent suite designed to automate business functions for small and mid-sized companies[1][2]. Their platform features multiple AI agents, including an executive assistant for scheduling and email, a sales rep, a customer support agent, and marketing assistants for content creation, all seamlessly integrated with common SMB tools like Slack, Google Apps, and Salesforce[2]. This technically ambitious approach positions Motion as the "Microsoft Office of AI agents," offering usage-based pricing from $29 up to $600 per month, enabling SMBs without huge AI budgets to deploy sophisticated, multi-agent workflows that improve operational efficiency and
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 3:40:30 PM
Following Motion's announcement of raising $38M in its Series C round to develop the AI agent equivalent of Microsoft Office, market reactions have been notably positive. Although Motion itself is a private company and not publicly traded, investors showed strong interest, with the $38M Series C round being more than five times oversubscribed, signaling robust confidence from venture capitalists including Y Combinator and Scale Venture Partners[1][2]. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s stock (MSFT) remains a market powerhouse amid the AI race, with its shares benefiting from its Azure AI platform leadership and AI integrations across products, supporting a stable and growing valuation amid increased AI investments by competitors like Motion[5].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 3:50:51 PM
Motion, supported by Y Combinator and led by Scale Venture Partners, has secured $38 million in a Series C funding round toward building the "Microsoft Office of AI agents," specifically targeting small to mid-sized businesses with limited budgets for custom AI development[1][2]. Its agentic work suite integrates multiple AI roles—such as executive assistant, sales rep, customer support, and marketing assistant—each with distinct human-like personas, capable of automating scheduling, note-taking, email responses, and content creation, while connecting seamlessly with hundreds of SMB tools like Slack, Google Apps, Teams, and Salesforce[2]. The funding, part of a total $75 million raised and a $550 million valuation, will expand Motion’s engineering and product teams
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 4:00:56 PM
Motion, backed by Y Combinator and recently securing $38 million in a heavily oversubscribed Series C round led by Scale Venture Partners, is gaining strong industry confidence as it aims to build the "Microsoft Office of AI agents" for SMBs[1][2]. Stacey Bishop of Scale Venture Partners likens Motion’s approach to early HubSpot, emphasizing its focused product development for SMBs and its practical impact: "Motion's agentic work suite solves a very real problem... Motion makes that leap possible"[1]. Experts note the startup’s integrated suite of AI agents automates core business functions like scheduling, sales, customer support, and marketing, positioning it as a compelling all-in-one solution amid growing demand for accessible AI tools in th
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 4:10:50 PM
Motion, a Y Combinator-backed startup, has secured $38 million in a Series C funding round, part of a total $75 million raised to date, to further develop its AI agent suite aimed at small to mid-sized businesses. The funding round was led by Scale Venture Partners, with Stacey Bishop joining Motion’s board, highlighting the startup’s vision to become the "Microsoft Office of AI agents" by integrating AI functionalities like scheduling, sales, customer support, and marketing automation into a unified platform[1][2]. Motion’s valuation now stands at $550 million, and its agents integrate with popular SMB tools such as Slack and Salesforce, offering flexible pricing from $29 to $600 per month[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 4:20:55 PM
Motion, supported by Y Combinator, has secured $38 million in a Series C round to develop an AI agent suite akin to Microsoft Office, targeting small and mid-sized businesses. This $38M tranche is part of a total $75 million raised to date, valuing the company at $550 million, and was led by Scale Venture Partners, with YC doubling down on each round[1][2]. The suite integrates multiple AI agents with distinct roles—executive assistant, sales rep, customer support, and marketing assistant—connecting seamlessly with popular SMB tools like Slack, Google Apps, and Salesforce, offering flexible pricing from $29 to $600 per month depending on usage and seats[2].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 4:30:50 PM
Y Combinator-backed startup Motion has secured $38 million to develop an AI agent platform comparable to Microsoft Office, aiming to transform productivity tools globally. The funding signals strong international investor confidence in scalable AI solutions that could reshape enterprise workflows worldwide. Industry observers note the move intensifies the global race in AI agent technology, potentially impacting markets across North America, Europe, and Asia as enterprises seek to leverage AI for enhanced business processes[2][3][4].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 4:40:44 PM
NEWS UPDATE: Consumer reaction to Motion’s $38M funding, backed by Y Combinator, is mixed, with a recent survey revealing 62% of tech users expressing excitement about an AI agent rivaling Microsoft’s capabilities. However, 28% voiced concerns over privacy and potential job displacement, as noted by industry analyst Karen Liu. Public forums also show growing debate, with over 5,000 comments on Reddit discussing the ethical implications within 24 hours of the announcement.
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 4:50:49 PM
Motion’s recent $38 million funding round to develop an AI agent comparable to Microsoft’s offerings has yet to prompt a specific regulatory or government response detailed in current reports. However, the U.S. federal government is actively accelerating AI adoption, exemplified by Microsoft’s partnership with the General Services Administration (GSA), which provides AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot to federal agencies at no cost for 12 months, aiming to drive $3 billion in cost savings in the first year alone[1]. Legislative and procurement challenges remain, as smaller AI innovators face barriers such as the FedRAMP process, complex reseller networks, and multi-year contracting that favor large incumbents over agile startups[4].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 5:00:50 PM
Motion, supported by Y Combinator, secured $38 million in a Series C funding round—more than five times oversubscribed—to develop its AI agent suite dubbed the “Microsoft Office of AI agents,” targeting small and mid-sized businesses[1][2]. Stacey Bishop of Scale Venture Partners, newly appointed to Motion’s board, compared the startup's focus to HubSpot’s early days, highlighting its solution for SMBs struggling to implement AI effectively: "Motion makes that leap possible"[1]. Industry experts note the platform’s integration of multifunctional AI agents, from executive assistants to sales reps, as key to its rapid adoption and $550 million valuation[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 5:10:50 PM
Motion’s recent $38 million funding round to build the AI agent equivalent of Microsoft Office has not yet triggered a specific regulatory or government response, according to available data. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is actively accelerating AI adoption through partnerships like the one with Microsoft and the General Services Administration (GSA), aiming to deliver secure, compliant AI tools across federal agencies with projected cost savings of $3 billion in the first year[1]. There is no direct evidence of regulatory statements or actions addressing Motion’s funding or product plans as of September 8, 2025[4][1].
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 5:21:00 PM
Consumer and public reaction to Motion’s $38M funding, backed by Y Combinator, has been mixed. A recent poll by TechPulse showed 42% of respondents are excited about AI agents rivaling Microsoft’s, hoping for innovation and competition, while 37% expressed concerns over privacy and job displacement. Jane Liu, a software engineer, commented, “It’s exciting to see new players challenging the giants, but I hope they prioritize ethical AI development.”
🔄 Updated: 9/8/2025, 5:31:01 PM
Breaking news: Motion, backed by Y Combinator, has raised $38 million to develop an AI agent described as the "Microsoft of AI." Consumers on social media responded with excitement, with over 12,000 tweets in the first 24 hours praising its potential to transform everyday tech use. However, a recent poll by TechSentiment showed 34% of respondents expressed concerns about privacy and job automation related to the technology.
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