Jeff Bezos launches AI startup Project Prometheus, taking co-CEO role
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is reportedly launching Project Prometheus, an AI startup focused on engineering and manufacturing, securing $6.2 billion in initial funding.
November 17, 2025 - 02:27 PM ET • 2 min read
Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder and former chief executive of Amazon, is reportedly launching a new artificial intelligence (AI) startup called Project Prometheus, where he will serve as co-CEO.
The company has already secured $6.2 billion in funding, making it one of the most highly financed early-stage startups globally, according to reports published Monday citing sources familiar with the matter. Bezos contributed a portion of this investment.
This marks the first time Bezos has taken a formal operational role in a company since stepping down as Amazon CEO in July 2021. While he remains deeply involved with his aerospace company Blue Origin, his official title there is founder.
Project Prometheus will focus on developing AI specifically for engineering and manufacturing applications across various sectors, including computing, automobiles, and space vehicles, reports said.
The $6.2 billion initial funding round immediately positions Project Prometheus as a significant competitor to established technology giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft-backed OpenAI in the rapidly expanding AI sector. The investment amount exceeds the total capital raised by many companies throughout their entire existence, according to reports.
Bezos will co-lead Project Prometheus alongside co-founder Vik Bajaj, a physicist and chemist. Bajaj is known for his previous work at Google's experimental research division, X, where he worked closely with Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Bajaj also founded the health technology company Verily, an Alphabet-owned venture spun out of X.
The startup has already begun aggressive hiring, recruiting nearly 100 employees, including researchers poached from major established AI organizations such as OpenAI, DeepMind, and Meta, according to the reports.
Details regarding the company's exact plans and operational timeline remain scarce, as the information has not yet been formally disclosed publicly by the company.