Milan-based AI startup Cato has raised €6 million in a seed round led by Keen Venture Partners, with participation from Vento, Heartfelt, Moonstone, BHeroes, Alecla7, and Nova Venture, alongside angel investors including the founders of Lexroom, Sibill, and Pillar. The round brings Cato’s total funding to €7.6 million.
- Founded in 2025 by Andrea Zorzetto and Matteo Bossolini, Cato develops software that helps companies identify and compete for public tenders. Its platform monitors more than 27,000 sources in real time, matching opportunities to businesses and using AI to analyse tender documents, extract requirements and evaluation criteria, and assist with bid preparation.
- The company is targeting a large but highly fragmented market. Public procurement accounts for around 14% of EU GDP, representing approximately €2.5 trillion in annual spending across more than 250,000 contracting authorities. In Italy alone, public tenders were worth €309.7 billion in 2025, according to ANAC.
- Cato says it has processed thousands of tenders since launching six months ago, serving customers ranging from SMEs to larger companies in sectors including medical devices, construction, IT, and services.
- In April, the company secured €1.6 million in pre-seed funding led by Italian Founders Fund to grow its team, strengthen its AI-powered platform, and expand its services to more companies across Europe.
Details of the deal
- The startup will use the new capital to enhance its platform, expand its commercial operations, grow its team, and enter additional sectors and international markets. It also plans to help existing multinational customers manage tender processes outside Italy as it begins its international expansion.
