Kernel Raises $22M to Innovate AI Browser Infrastructure
09 Oct 2025
We at 1809 are excited to see innovations that empower developers to build the next generation of AI systems. Kernel just made a big leap forward, announcing that they’ve raised $22 million in Seed + Series A funding to expand their browser infrastructure platform designed for AI agents.
Why This Matters
- Bridging the gap in AI tooling. Modern LLMs have the capacity to automate tasks across the web — from filling out forms and scraping data to orchestrating API calls. But running a browser-level execution environment at scale is still a major bottleneck. Kernel is tackling that gap.
- “Browsers-as-a-service” for agents. Kernel offers developers the ability to spin up browser instances in milliseconds, maintain persistent state across sessions, handle credentials securely, and interact with web content like real users.
- Security built in. One of the headline features Kernel is launching is Kernel Agent Authentication — an identity & permissions layer for AI agents. Developers can grant agents scoped access to act on user accounts, with audit trails and controls.
Who’s Backing Them
Kernel’s funding round was led by Accel, with participation from:
- Y Combinator
- Cintrifuse Capital
- Vercel Ventures
- Refinery Ventures
- SV Angel
They also secured backing from angel investors who have built or scaled critical dev platforms: Paul Graham (YC), David Cramer (Sentry), Solomon Hykes (Docker), Zach Sims (Codecademy), and Charlie Marsh (Astral)