TRO | OpenAI reaches 900m weekly users and US$730b pre-money valuation

Plus, Perplexity's 'Computer' coordinates 19 AI models, and the Premier League announces it will launch its own streaming platform.

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Meliora Company
March 02, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Subscribe | 2nd March, 2026

In this fast-moving GenAI economy, headlines are everywhere but optimism is rare.

Here’s our take on 3 stories that will help you be relentlessly optimistic about the future.

1. OpenAI reaches 900m weekly users and US$730b pre-money valuation

OpenAI has finalised a US$110b funding round at a US$730b pre-money valuation – up from US$500b in October. Amazon is the headline investor at US$50b, with SoftBank and Nvidia each committing US$30b. In tandem, ChatGPT reached 900 million weekly active users, alongside more than 50 million consumer subscribers and over 9 million paying business users.

Here’s why this matters: Look at who’s writing the cheques. Amazon, SoftBank and Nvidia aren’t just investors – they’re also OpenAI’s biggest suppliers and customers. The cloud providers and chipmakers funding the leading AI companies are the same ones selling them the infrastructure to run on. It’s a circle of mutual dependency that is locking in the competitive landscape for a decade. The IPO element is just as important: Amazon’s additional US$35b is tied to OpenAI going public, which increasingly looks like a question of when, not if.

2. Perplexity launches ‘Computer’ – An AI that uses 19 other AI models

Perplexity has launched Computer, a cloud-based product that coordinates 19 different AI models – from Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and xAI – to handle complex tasks autonomously. Rather than relying on a single model, Computer picks the right one for each part of a job, integrates with over 400 apps, and is available on Perplexity’s US$200-per-month Max tier.

Here’s why this matters: While OpenAI and Google are betting you’ll live inside their ecosystem, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas is making the opposite bet: that the future isn’t about picking the best model, it’s about using all of them. Think of it as a conductor rather than a soloist. The strategic implication is worth noting – we may be shifting from a ‘winner takes all’ model race towards an orchestration layer where the value sits not in any single AI but in the platform that knows which one to use and when.

3. Premier League launches its own streaming platform as sports’ biggest brands go direct-to-fan

The Premier League has announced the launch of Premier League +, its own streaming service – quickly dubbed ‘Premflix’ – debuting in Singapore next season under a six-year partnership with telco StarHub. The platform will stream all 380 matches live alongside magazine content and a 24/7 channel. The Premier League isn’t alone: the NFL recently took a 10% equity stake in ESPN in a deal valued at US$3 billion, and the NBA invested in subscription technology firm Evergent to power personalisation across League Pass in 185+ countries.

Here’s why this matters: : Three of the world’s biggest sports properties are all making the same move at once: investing in technology to own the fan relationship directly. The Premier League is building its own platform. The NFL is taking equity in its broadcast partner. The NBA is backing the subscription tech that powers its global streaming. The common thread is control – over data, over the fan experience, and over how content is packaged and priced. This is where AI enters the picture: personalised highlights, dynamic pricing, conversational match companions and AI-curated content feeds are the tools that will make these direct-to-fan platforms genuinely compelling. Content owners are becoming distributors, and the technology to do it is now within reach.

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Our Pursuit Of Better

Vertical AI startup Suno has amassed 2 million paid subscribers and US$300m in annual recurring revenue. Suno lets users create music using natural language prompts, making it possible for people with little experience to generate audio with little effort.

Sarvam, an Indian AI startup, has launched its Indus chat app for web and mobile users, entering a market dominated by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. India has become a key battleground for Gen AI adoption (India accounts for 5.8% of total Claude usage). The platform is in limited beta mode and was announced at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi earlier this week.

Freeform has raised a US$67m Series B to expand its manufacturing platform. The startup is developing a novel 3D-printing system for metal components, bringing tech investors closer to the dream of making physical products with the same speed and ease as coding software.

Meliora on The Media Club

This week, Meliora Managing Partner Clive Dickens joined Matt Deegan on The Media Club to talk about AI growth, the ‘SaaSpocolypse’, Shadow AI and the launch of Meliora Ventures Fund One. Thanks for having us Matt!

Meliora Associate Spotlight

Stuart Wettenhall - International

Stuart specialises in digital venture build, platform economics and new market entry following senior roles at Amazon and BBC Studios. He’s led regional growt for AI video start-ups and advised some of the world’s largest sports rightsholders on digital transformation.

Amy McClelland - UK

Amy is a tech native who specialises in premium audience experiences and scalable business growth. Helping startups break into global markets and guiding traditional broadcasters through digital transformation, Amy is a hybrid blend of creative, operational, and strategic expertise.

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