A Guangzhou-born Gen Z entrepreneur has propelled her artificial intelligence startup into the ranks of unicorns after securing a major round of funding.
Carina Hong Letong, who completed dual degrees in mathematics and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in just three years, has raised US$200 million in a Series A round for her AI firm, Axiom. The funding, led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Menlo Ventures, values the company at US$1.6 billion (HK$12.5 billion).
Founded little more than a year ago, Axiom focuses on improving the reliability of artificial intelligence systems. Its technology uses the Lean programming language to build a verification framework that ensures each step of an AI’s reasoning can be checked, with the aim of reducing “hallucinations.”
Reports said the system has already solved two longstanding mathematical problems without human intervention, drawing attention from the academic community.
The company is targeting hedge funds and quantitative traders as potential clients, positioning its technology as a tool for tackling complex mathematical proofs and advanced financial modelling.
Born and raised in Guangzhou to working-class parents, Hong showed exceptional talent in mathematics from an early age. She was selected for a provincial elite student program in high school and was among the few female contestants representing Guangdong in national mathematics competitions.
Admitted to MIT at the age of 17, she went on to publish nine academic papers before enrolling in a PhD program at Stanford University. She later dropped out to pursue her startup.
Hong was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in December 2025.
