Berlin-based startup Needle, an AI-powered search and agent development platform, has secured $2.2 million in a seed funding round to expand its workforce and advance its technology. The round was led by 468 Capital and Presight Capital.
- Founded in 2024 by Onur Eken and Jan Heimes, Needle is an AI-powered search and agent development platform that helps organizations access information from various internal systems.
- The platform integrates with tools like Confluence, Slack, Gmail, and Dropbox, indexing data for easy retrieval through a web interface or API. Using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technology, Needle delivers precise answers and insights.
- With no deep technical expertise required, users can automate workflows and build AI agents effortlessly. By unifying data across sources, Needle simplifies knowledge management and overcomes barriers posed by fragmented information and legacy systems.
"Organizations are sitting on goldmines of data current AI systems simply cannot tap into. Our platform provides the foundation for organizations to understand, identify and quickly leverage their existing data assets and build powerful AI applications with just a few clicks," co-founder and CEO of Needle, Jan Heimes, commented.
Details of the deal
- The investment was led by 468 Capital, a Berlin-based VC backing globally ambitious founders, and Presight Capital, a California-based firm investing $600 million in visionary entrepreneurs from seed to IPO.
"Businesses and organizations should not have to hire a team of specialists or spend months working to integrate AI. The team at Needle have found a quick and easy solution for businesses of all sizes to unlock the full potential of their data for AI applications," explains Florian Leibert, General Partner of 468 Capital.
- Needle plans to use the $2.2 million seed funding to expand its engineering team, enhance its core technology, and accelerate growth. This will help improve AI capabilities, strengthen tool integrations, and make AI adoption easier for businesses.
