We are proud to announce that akirolabs has been recognized as one of the 27 most promising and top AI startups in Germany by the esteemed appliedAI Institute for Europe gGmbH. This prestigious accolade underscores our innovation and leadership in the AI SaaS and ProcureTech industry, distinguishing us from among 687 AI startups in the annual review of the German startup landscape.
Rigorous and Comprehensive Selection Process
The selection process, conducted by the Applied AI Institute, involved a thorough evaluation of over 687 startups from an initial pool of 1000 AI-focused companies identified in their annual review of the German startup landscape. A distinguished jury comprising representatives from industry giants and well-known venture capital firms assessed each startup based on various criteria, including data utilization, talent acquisition and retention, AI methodologies and innovation, scalability potential, and overall quality and market impact.
The esteemed jury included representatives from tech giants such as NVIDIA, Intel Corporation, and Deutsche Telekom, as well as venture capital firms including Cherry Ventures, Earlybird Venture Capital, UVC Partners, Yttrium, HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds, eCapital Corp., HV Capital, D11Z. Ventures GmbH & Co. KG, MIG Capital, AI.FUND, and Burda Principal Investments. Innovation hub UnternehmerTUM also participated in the selection process, ensuring a well-rounded evaluation of each startup’s potential.
Read more about this recognition and the complete list of 27 startups recognized on WiWo.
Celebrating Our Peers in AI Innovation
We have been recognized in this list alongside leading AI companies like Aleph Alpha, Parloa, Cogingy, Helsing, and Fernride. Additionally, we are placed in the AI startup landscape under the procurement and purchasing category ( See Image Below ) with peer ProcureTech companies like Tacto, Mercanis, and Scoutbee. You can view the complete AI Innovation Landscape map here.
Recent Grant and Funding Achievements
Recently, akirolabs announced an extension to its recent $5 million seed funding with an additional 7-digit (€ million) non-dilutive grant from Investitionsbank Berlin and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This highly competitive grant, awarded only to top tech startups pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology, comes shortly after the company’s successful $5 million seed funding round, underlining the strong momentum and confidence in akirolabs’ vision for AI-driven strategic procurement and category management transformation. Read more about akirolabs’ recent grant here.
The Significance of the appliedAI Institute’s Recognition
The Applied AI Institute for Europe gGmbH, based in Munich, is crucial in advancing AI innovation across Europe. Their annual review and AI startup landscape serve multiple essential functions, providing a comprehensive overview of Germany’s most promising AI startups, fostering connections between corporations, SMEs, and governmental institutions with trusted AI partners, driving AI adoption, and creating partnership opportunities between startups and corporations. The institute’s thorough evaluation methodology ensures that only the most innovative and impactful companies receive recognition.
About akirolabs
akirolabs, founded in 2021 by Michael Pleuger, Detlef Schultz, Christoph Flöthmann, and Tim Ergenzinger, is the leading AI-powered category management software, transforming procurement and caetgory strategies for businesses worldwide. Our solution is based upon a world-class and industry-proven strategic procurement process, methodology, and toolkit, embedded into an intuitive cross-functional collaboration workflow and enriched with all relevant internal and external business insight. akirolabs’ unique approach delivers “Procurement Strategies with Value & Purpose” and a significantly broader and 4-5 times higher value contribution than traditional sourcing solutions.
About appliedAI Institute for Europe
The appliedAI Institute for Europe gGmbH, headquartered in Munich, is at the forefront of driving AI innovation and adoption across Europe. Their key initiatives include the annual review of the German AI startup landscape, the creation of a centralized database of high-quality, externally validated AI startups, the facilitation of connections between corporations, SMEs, and governmental institutions with trusted AI partners, and the promotion of an ecosystem where AI startups can flourish and shape the future of AI for societal benefit. Interested parties and individuals are encouraged to visit the appliedAI Institute’s website for more detailed information about their methodology and initiatives.
