Full Breakdown
Anthropic Walks Away from $6 Billion Decart Acquisition
9/9/2026, 3:22:02 PM
Core Event: Anthropic Ends Decart Deal After Due Diligence
People familiar with the matter said Anthropic PBC abandoned its planned purchase of Israeli AI startup Decart AI after completing a due-diligence review. The transaction, first reported in August, had been valued at roughly $6 billion to $7 billion. No final agreement had been reached, and both companies declined to comment.
Background & Context
Decart AI was founded in 2023 by brothers Dean and Orian Leitersdorf and Moshe Shalev, former Israeli Defence Forces Unit 8200 veterans. The startup builds software that improves AI-chip efficiency, lowering training and inference costs. On May 18 it announced a $300 million financing round led by Radical Ventures, bringing total funding above $450 million and valuing Decart at about $4 billion. Investors include Nvidia, Sequoia Capital, Benchmark, Adobe Ventures, and Zeev Ventures. Decart employs roughly 100 people and offers products such as the Lucy video-editing model and the Oasis simulation platform.
Anthropic, developer of the Claude chatbot, has been expanding compute capacity ahead of an anticipated IPO. Sources said the company is targeting a valuation that could rival SpaceX’s listing, with IPO marketing expected to begin in mid-October. Anthropic’s annualized revenue run rate was reported at more than $65 billion as of July 2026.
Timeline
- May 18, 2026 – Decart raises $300 million, valuation near $4 billion.
- August 2026 – Bloomberg reports Anthropic in advanced talks to acquire Decart for about $6 billion.
- September 4, 2026 – Reuters notes Anthropic plans to start IPO marketing around mid-October, aiming for a valuation up to $2 trillion.
- September 8, 2026 – Bloomberg reports Anthropic’s decision to walk away from the Decart acquisition after due diligence.
Data & Statistics
- Proposed acquisition price: $6 billion–$7 billion.
- Decart valuation at last financing: ~ $4 billion.
- Total funding raised: > $450 million.
- Employee headcount: ~100.
- Anthropic revenue run rate: > $65 billion.
- IPO target valuation: up to $2 trillion.
Why It Matters / Impact
The collapsed deal removes what would have been Anthropic’s largest acquisition and a shortcut to reducing compute costs. By foregoing the purchase, Anthropic avoids a premium—approximately a 50 % markup over Decart’s latest valuation—and sidesteps integration risks weeks before its IPO. For Decart, the loss of a prospective buyer leaves the company to pursue other options, including talks with Nvidia, which had shown interest in a higher offer. The episode also dampens Israel’s ambition to host a major AI-industry foothold.
Official Statements & Responses
Representatives for both Anthropic and Decart declined to comment. The lack of public explanation means the precise reasons for the withdrawal remain unconfirmed, though sources indicate the decision was made unilaterally by Anthropic after due-diligence findings.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The significance is less that artificial intelligence has displaced search, because it has not, than that it is competing with marketplaces and social platforms at the point where consumers narrow their choices,” — PYMNTS
What’s Next
Anthropic’s leadership is expected to move forward with IPO marketing in mid-October, targeting a valuation that could exceed $2 trillion. The companies may still explore alternative collaborations, such as licensing Decart’s optimization stack, but no terms have been disclosed. Decart’s investors will likely evaluate other potential buyers, including Nvidia. The outcome of Anthropic’s IPO and any subsequent partnership agreements will shape the competitive landscape for AI-infrastructure technology.
