Chamath Palihapitiya, the venture capitalist and All-In podcast co-host, announced Monday that his AI coding startup 8090 Labs has closed a $135 million Series A funding round — and that he is stepping in as CEO. The round was led by Salesforce Ventures, with participation from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, David Sacks’ Craft Ventures, and funds tied to his fellow All-In hosts David Friedberg and Jason Calacanis.
From board member to CEO
Palihapitiya founded 8090 Labs in January 2024 to build an AI coding agent tailored for enterprise programming teams. Its product, Software Factory, is designed to help corporate developers produce production-quality software — not just AI-generated prototypes — while maintaining enterprise-grade controls such as audit trails and security compliance.
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With the new funding, Palihapitiya announced on X that he will lead the startup as CEO rather than remain a board member. He compared the current AI boom to the rise of social media during his early tenure at Facebook, before it became Meta. “Since I left Facebook, I was waiting for a moment like this to return to a full-time operating role,” he wrote. “I am convinced that what we are building now is even more important, so there was no decision to make except to be all in.”
Investor lineup and market context
The $135 million Series A includes a notable roster of investors. Alongside Salesforce Ventures, participants include Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, David Sacks’ Craft Ventures, and the venture funds of fellow All-In podcast hosts David Friedberg (The Production Board) and Jason Calacanis (Launch). Angel investors include Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo.
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The round underscores the continued investor appetite for enterprise-focused AI tools that go beyond consumer-grade chatbots. 8090 Labs competes in a crowded field of AI coding assistants, including GitHub Copilot and Replit, but differentiates itself by targeting large organizations that require strict compliance and audit capabilities.
What this means for the enterprise AI coding market
Palihapitiya’s move to take the CEO role signals his conviction that 8090 Labs can capture a meaningful share of the enterprise software development market. The company’s focus on “production-quality” code — as opposed to quick prototypes — addresses a pain point for corporate IT departments that need AI tools to integrate with existing security and governance frameworks.
The funding also highlights the growing influence of the All-In podcast network in venture capital, with all four hosts participating in the round through their respective funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 8090 Labs’ product, Software Factory, do?
Software Factory is an AI coding agent designed for corporate programming teams. It helps developers build production-quality software with enterprise controls like audit trails, moving beyond simple prototype or ‘vibe coding’ tools.
Who participated in the $135M Series A round?
The round was led by Salesforce Ventures, with participation from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, David Sacks’ Craft Ventures, and the other All-In podcast hosts’ funds. Angel investors included Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo.
Why did Palihapitiya decide to take the CEO role now?
Palihapitiya said the current AI rush reminds him of the early social media era at Facebook. He stated he was waiting for a moment like this to return to a full-time operating role, calling the opportunity ‘even more important’ than his time at Facebook.
When was 8090 Labs founded?
8090 Labs was founded in January 2024 by Chamath Palihapitiya.
How does 8090 Labs differ from other AI coding tools?
8090 Labs focuses specifically on enterprise customers, offering audit trails, security compliance, and the ability to generate production-ready code rather than just prototypes. This distinguishes it from more general-purpose AI coding assistants.
