KoBold Metals, an AI-powered mining start-up backed by notable investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, has successfully raised $537 million in a Series C funding round. This funding elevates the company's valuation to $2.96 billion. The capital will be utilized to enhance exploration efforts for critical minerals essential for the energy transition across five continents, including advancing high-potential projects such as the Mingomba copper deposit in Zambia. The funding round has attracted a range of billionaire backers, highlighting the growing interest in companies focused on sustainable mineral exploration.