Runway, an AI video generation startup, is taking on Google in the AI space with its innovative approach to world models. The company, founded by three NYU graduates from Chile and Greece, believes that the next form of AI intelligence will be built from video and world models that learn how the world works, not just how humans describe it.
The founders of Runway, Anastasis Germanidis, Cristóbal Valenzuela, and Alejandro Matamala-Ortiz, met at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and built the company in New York. They started with a simple mission: to use AI to make everyone a filmmaker. After releasing their first video generation model in 2023, they evolved their mission to making everyone a great filmmaker.
Today, Runway's technology powers production workflows for filmmakers and ad agencies, and the company has signed deals with major media players like Lionsgate and AMC Networks. Its tools have even been used in films such as "Everything Everywhere All At Once." Runway is now valued at $5.3 billion and has added $40 million in annual recurring revenue in the second quarter of 2026.
The company is now expanding beyond video generation and has launched its first world model, with plans to launch another this year. World models are AI systems that simulate environments well enough to predict how they'll behave. Runway's founders believe that training models directly on observational data from the world is the next frontier of AI.
Germanidis sees world models as scientific infrastructure, allowing for faster experimentation and progress in understanding the universe and solving problems. He believes that if Runway can build a better scientist than human scientists, it can accelerate progress in how we understand the universe and how we solve problems.
Runway is not alone in its pursuit of world models, with competitors like Google, Luma, and World Labs also chasing the same goal. However, the company's founders believe that their diverse backgrounds and lack of Silicon Valley ties give them an edge. They have had to be scrappier and more resourceful, generating revenue early on and building a culture that moves quickly.
According to early investor Michael Dempsey, Runway's culture is driven by its founders' vision and their willingness to challenge conventional rules. The company's COO, Michelle Kwon, says that Runway is not in a rush to raise more funds, even as compute demands increase with scale.
As the AI industry continues to evolve, Runway's bet on video-generated world models is a bold move that could pay off in a big way. If the company can succeed in its mission, it could have far-reaching implications for fields like robotics, drug discovery, and climate modeling.
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