Vienna-based AI-powered enterprise software startup Howie has announced a strategic investment from Dar Ventures, a VC arm of design and engineering consultancy firm Dar Al-Handasah, as Vestbee was informed.
- Founded in 2024 by Ewa Lenart, Howie Systems develops an AI-powered platform for construction and real estate companies to manage and analyze project data.
- The platform consolidates information from multiple sources, including reports, images, construction drawings, emails, and large datasets, into a searchable knowledge base covering past and ongoing projects. It uses AI to identify patterns in unstructured data, streamline information retrieval, and provide validated answers, reducing the time teams spend locating project details.
- Howie integrates with existing systems without duplicating data, ensures data security with AES-256 encryption and row-level access controls, and supports multiple enterprise customers, currently including five architecture, engineering, and construction firms, with plans to expand to twenty within the next year.
- In March 2025, the firm secured €600,000 in funding from Pi Labs to enhance AI-driven data solutions, with additional support from the Vienna Business Agency. The company then said it is aiming to raise €1.5 million to scale.
Details of the deal
- The investment was backed by Dar Ventures, the UAE-based venture capital arm of Dar, a design and engineering consultancy firm. It focuses on advancing technologies for the built environment and has supported over 30 startups globally through investments and its “DarE” program.
“Howie aligns perfectly with our strategic focus on adopting AI within the AEC sector. Their platform directly addresses our industry’s pressing need for efficient information management, operational transparency, and scalable automation," Group Chief Treasurer Sidara and Director Dar Ventures, Nader Aboushadi, commented in a press release.
- Howie will use the funding to advance its AI analytics capabilities, integrate a wider range of project data sources, and expand its enterprise customer base.
- The investment will also support the company’s global growth strategy, including a full market rollout across Europe and the MENA region in 2027, while refining its platform in collaboration with leading architecture and engineering firms.
