Benchmark in Talks to Lead Series A for AI Code Review Startup Greptile
Venture capital firm Benchmark is reportedly in advanced talks to lead a $30 million Series A funding round for Greptile, an emerging AI code review startup. This deal, still under negotiation, would value Greptile at a staggering $180 million, according to sources familiar with the matter. Founded by Dasksh Gupta after graduating from Georgia Tech in 2023, Greptile leverages artificial intelligence to automate code reviews—an area increasingly vital to modern software development. With fierce competition in the AI-powered code review space, Greptile’s fast-growing valuation and interest from Benchmark show just how seriously investors are taking this next wave of developer tools.
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AI Code Review Startup Greptile Gains Momentum With Benchmark Backing
Greptile’s rise in the AI software tooling ecosystem has been swift. After graduating from Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 batch, the company secured a $4 million seed round led by Initialized Capital. Since then, Greptile has positioned itself as a high-performance solution that goes beyond traditional linters and code reviewers. Founder Dasksh Gupta has said the AI acts like a knowledgeable coworker—capable of understanding a codebase in-depth and identifying bugs or inefficiencies that even experienced engineers may overlook. This unique capability is what separates Greptile from earlier code review tools that only focus on syntax or style rules.
The funding interest from Benchmark—particularly partner Eric Vishria—signals confidence in both the product and the team. Though the deal hasn’t officially closed, sources say it’s likely to go through barring last-minute changes. With such a high valuation at this early stage, Greptile is clearly being viewed as a category leader in AI-powered developer tools. This comes at a time when AI continues to redefine how engineers write, test, and ship code.
Competitive Landscape in the AI Code Review Space
While Greptile’s technology and funding momentum are impressive, it’s far from alone in this race. Competitors like Graphite and Coderabbit are also scaling quickly. Graphite recently secured a $52 million Series B led by Accel, with participation from Anthropic’s Anthology Fund and VC giants like Menlo Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. Meanwhile, Coderabbit closed a $16 million Series A round led by CRV. Each of these players is bringing different strengths to the table—from more collaborative workflows to deeper integrations with cloud IDEs.
But Greptile seems intent on winning this race through sheer speed and execution. Reports suggest that the startup demands long working hours from its team. In a now-viral post on X, Gupta admitted there is “no work-life balance” at Greptile, with employees working 14-hour days, six or seven days a week. In later interviews, he defended the work culture, emphasizing that software categories rarely reward the second-best product. In his words: “If you’re going to put in 95 percent effort, it’s the equivalent of putting in 0 percent effort.” It’s a controversial take, but one that may resonate with investors hungry for outlier outcomes.
Why Benchmark’s Interest Could Change the Game for Greptile
For any AI code review startup, validation from a top-tier investor like Benchmark can be a game-changer. The firm is known for backing category-defining companies like Dropbox, Twitter, and Uber. Eric Vishria’s interest suggests he sees Greptile as a company with not just solid tech, but the potential to dominate a niche that’s only growing more important. As software becomes more complex, teams need smarter, AI-driven ways to ensure code quality and reliability. Greptile’s model of treating the AI like an embedded engineer could appeal to enterprise clients and scale-up teams alike.
Beyond the capital, Benchmark brings operational guidance, access to talent, and long-term credibility. If the deal goes through, it could fuel Greptile’s growth at a critical time—allowing the startup to hire, expand its product features, and outpace competitors. More importantly, it reinforces the narrative that AI isn’t just a buzzword in dev tools—it’s becoming the core engine driving better software. Greptile’s journey from a Y Combinator project to a potential Benchmark-backed company at a $180 million valuation is a testament to the demand for AI-native platforms in software engineering.
The Future of AI Code Review Startups Looks Fierce
Greptile’s potential Series A deal with Benchmark marks a significant moment for the AI code review market. With competitors like Graphite and Coderabbit also on the rise, the space is heating up fast. But Greptile’s mix of deeply integrated AI, a founder with a clear (if controversial) vision, and interest from top-tier VCs could make it the company to beat. Whether or not you agree with Gupta’s leadership style, there’s no denying that Greptile is shaping the conversation around what’s possible when AI becomes a core teammate for software developers.
As AI continues to eat software, startups like Greptile are showing what the future of programming could look like—faster, smarter, and more collaborative than ever before. And with Benchmark potentially on board, that future may arrive sooner than anyone expected.
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