Scouting AI startups
Systematic search, analysis, and selection of promising AI startups in the global market. We help corporations, venture capital funds, and technology holdings find truly innovative and viable startups – reducing noise, investment risks, and reducing due diligence time.
When is this especially relevant?
- We need to find innovative solutions for specific business challenges.
- You are building an investment portfolio in the field of AI, IT, or deeptech.
- It is important for you to track technology trends and market leaders
- It is necessary to select a reliable AI partner for joint research or integration
- Your task is to identify potential M&A targets.
- It is important for you to keep up with your competitors in terms of the speed of technological innovation.
What can a business gain from startup scouting?
- Increase investment success by 40-60% through professional analysis and expert assessment
- Quick access to selected, vetted, and promising AI startups from thousands of solutions
- Reducing search and validation time, minimizing costs for in-house analytics
- Reducing the risk of errors in investments and partnerships through technical and strategic audits
- Negotiation support, deal structuring and post-deal support
Why do businesses choose to partner with us?
Deep specialization in AI and the startup ecosystem
We focus specifically on artificial intelligence, understanding the specifics of the AI market, its technologies, maturity cycles, and investment risks. This allows us to select not just trending startups, but truly viable and scalable solutions with technological potential and market prospects.
Individuality of the business context
Each project is tailored to the client's specific needs—whether it's finding technological solutions for internal needs, building a venture portfolio, or identifying M&A targets. We can work with a broad or narrow focus, adjust the depth of assessment, and engage additional resources to suit the task.
Transparency and consistency
We use our own multi-factor startup evaluation methodology—over 50 criteria, including technology, team, market, competitive advantages, and financial metrics. The results are compiled into structured analytics that can be used by investment committees and internally.
High level of expertise in AI and business audit
The project involves specialists with interdisciplinary expertise: AI product and solution analysts, technical auditors, strategic consultants, and intellectual property and corporate law specialists.
This allows us to evaluate a startup from all key aspects – from the quality of its models and architecture to IP risks and its ability to withstand due diligence from a large corporation or investor.
A strong track record
We have dozens of completed startup scouting projects for large corporations, strategic investors, and venture capital funds. We don't just find startups; we bring in real deals, partnerships, and investments. Our case studies include transaction support, the creation of joint pilots, and the rollout of new technologies.
How do we structure our work process?
- Defining Needs and Search Focus Before scouting, we conduct working sessions with the client's team to precisely define the business goals and objectives that future AI solutions or startups should address. We formulate selection criteria: priority industries, technology types (e.g., LLM, CV, AutoML), stage focus (pre-seed/scale-up), geography, and target application scenarios. This allows us to establish a clear framework for the subsequent search and avoid discrepancies in expectations.
- Market Analysis and Search We conduct a comprehensive analysis of the startup landscape in a given field, using over 1,000 sources: startup databases, technology media, scientific publications, accelerators, and venture funds. At this stage, thousands of projects are processed and a shortlist of the most promising ones is compiled.
- Multi-criteria Expert Evaluation We conduct an in-depth assessment of selected startups across 50+ parameters, including: technological maturity, uniqueness and security of solutions, team quality and experience, scalability and flexibility of the business model, and differentiation from competitors. We evaluate not only current metrics but also growth potential, synergy with the client's objectives, and risks.
- Verification and Validation Startups shortlisted for the final pool undergo technical and strategic validation. We assess solution architecture, data quality, models, regulatory compliance, legal protection, and market viability. We test prototypes, solicit recommendations, and conduct interviews with the team and independent experts.
- Partnership Facilitation We support clients during the process of establishing contacts with startups and structuring transactions. We help prepare for negotiations, support the negotiation process, and develop the legal structure of partnerships or investments, including option structures and M&A. We also provide recommendations on technology integration and the development of joint pilots, laying the foundation for long-term collaboration.
AI consulting
People Strategy
Growth & Investment