London-based startup Ankar, which utilizes AI to streamline and expedite the IP process, has secured £3 million in seed funding. The fresh financing was led by Index Ventures, with support from Daphni and Motier Ventures.
- Founded in 2024 by Tamar Gomez and Wiem Gharbi, Ankar develops software that uses artificial intelligence to streamline the management of intellectual property.
- The platform is designed for inventors and corporate IP teams, helping them handle tasks across the full patent lifecycle, including patent search, drafting, freedom-to-operate analysis, and infringement detection.
- Ankar’s system uses large language models (LLMs) to analyze invention disclosures, assess novelty, identify prior art, and automatically generate patent claims.
- The firm also offers tools for detecting potential IP conflicts and monitoring competitor activity. The platform is currently used by Fortune 500 companies and high-volume patent filers.
Details of the deal
- The investment was led by Index Ventures, a firm that has backed 108 startups reaching a $1 billion valuation, including Slack, Figma, Revolut, and Roblox, and recently raised $2.3 billion with a strong focus on AI.
- The round also saw support from Daphni, Motier Ventures, Booom, and Puzzle Ventures, along with notable angel investors such as Olivier Pomel and Julien Chaumond.
- Ankar will use the £3 million seed funding to enhance its AI platform’s capabilities, accelerate product development, expand its team, and scale customer acquisition to meet growing demand for IP management solutions.
"We are delighted to partner with investors who share our vision and ambition to build the AI operating system of innovation," Ankar's team, commented on LinkedIn.
