#United States #Maryland #Microsoft #Owl Ventures #Cloudforce

Cloudforce Achieves Significant Funding for AI Platform Development

On January 9, 2026, the Maryland-based AI firm Cloudforce announced a significant milestone by closing a $10 million Series A funding round. This funding was spearheaded by Owl Ventures, recognized as the largest venture capital fund dedicated to education technology. Additionally, Microsoft’s venture arm, M12, participated strategically, reaffirming the tech giant's endorsement of Cloudforce’s promising AI platform, nebulaONE®.

This capital investment arrives at a pivotal moment for Cloudforce, amidst an impressive surge in its user base, now exceeding 3 million across 90 institutions globally. Notable clients include prestigious entities like the University of Oxford, UCLA, and London Business School. With new partnerships forming weekly, this funding is set to prop up Cloudforce's ambition to democratize equitable AI access for students, faculty, and researchers, while simultaneously accelerating growth in sectors such as healthcare.

Cloudforce's flagship product, nebulaONE, has positioned itself as a cutting-edge solution for institutions navigating the complexities of generative AI. Built exclusively on Microsoft Azure, it offers a secure environment where organizations can deploy leading AI models within their own cloud tenants. This framework addresses core challenges such as data privacy compliance (including FERPA, HIPAA, and GDPR) and cost control—issues that have previously hindered AI integration in regulated industries.

Alwyn Collinson, the Head of the AI Competency Centre at the University of Oxford, praised nebulaONE's unique blend of accessibility, security, and flexibility, emphasizing AI as a vital capability for current deployment rather than a distant tool. Following a successful pilot program at Oxford's Saïd Business School, the institution quickly adopted nebulaONE on its main campus.

Husein Sharaf, the founder and CEO of Cloudforce, expressed a strong belief in making advanced AI models accessible to all, not just to those who can afford expensive subscriptions or are willing to compromise their data privacy. With further investment from Owl Ventures and M12, he aims to ensure institutions globally can establish secure AI environments that offer equitable access to information.

Owl Ventures acknowledges Cloudforce’s pivotal role in reshaping the education landscape through scalable AI infrastructure that meets the highest security standards desired by elite universities. Lyman Missimer, an investor with Owl Ventures, highlighted Cloudforce’s ability to not only provide essential tools but to transform educational systems fundamentally.

The significance of Microsoft’s investment through M12 adds another layer of validation to Cloudforce’s mission. Recently recognized as Microsoft’s Education Partner of the Year, Cloudforce is lauded for harnessing the Azure ecosystem to address real-world challenges faced by educational and healthcare sectors. Michael Stewart of M12 affirmed that Cloudforce exemplifies the application of competent AI solutions that can revolutionize both education and healthcare sectors, extending their reach and impact.

Currently, nebulaONE is implemented in various regions including the US, UK, Canada, EU, Australia, and New Zealand. With this new capital, Cloudforce is set to amplify its hiring efforts in 2026, introduce AI agents tailored for education and healthcare operations, and broaden its reach into the public sector. Their distinctive approach blends AI platform deployment with expert consulting and engineering support — a strategy that has yielded exceptional subscriber retention rates in 2025.

In essence, Cloudforce is creating pathways for revolutionary AI technology that is accessible across borders and sectors, paving the way for a future where equitable access to advanced AI solutions is a reality.

For further information about Cloudforce and its offerings, visit www.gocloudforce.com and www.nebulaone.ai.