Pilot Protocol Raises $4.5 Million to Build AI Agent App Store as Machines Top 51% of Web Traffic
Updated
Updated · Tech Funding News · Aug 3
Pilot Protocol Raises $4.5 Million to Build AI Agent App Store as Machines Top 51% of Web Traffic
1 articles · Updated · Tech Funding News · Aug 3
Summary
$4.5 million in new funding will help Pilot Protocol expand an open-source network and app store designed to sell tools directly to autonomous AI agents rather than human users.
That bet targets a fast-growing machine customer base: automated systems made up 51% of web activity in 2024, while Juniper projects agent-driven commerce will reach $8 billion this year and $1.5 trillion by 2030.
Pilot says its network has already attracted more than 250,000 agents, processed over 115 billion requests, and grew 10% a week from March through June, with much of that traffic arriving autonomously.
Version One Ventures led the round, joined by Pioneer Fund, Nightcap and angels including Taro Fukuyama and Ben Tossell, backing Pilot's pitch that a neutral marketplace can reach agents across models.
The company is trying to establish an open distribution layer before model owners such as OpenAI and Anthropic lock developers into their own agent storefronts.