Early-Stage Funding Flows Into AI B2B Platforms
Recent pre-seed rounds for Exhibitly and Retailgrid highlight how investors are betting on AI B2B platforms to fix persistent operational bottlenecks. Both companies have secured fresh capital to automate workflows that still heavily depend on spreadsheets and manual processes. Their focus sits at the intersection of event management software and retail automation funding, where traditional tools have struggled to keep pace with data complexity and rising customer expectations. While Exhibitly tackles visitor engagement at B2B events, Retailgrid targets day-to-day retail decision-making. Each startup uses AI to layer intelligence on top of existing digital touchpoints and data sources rather than forcing clients into disruptive system overhauls. This approach is resonating with investors seeking scalable automation solutions. The funding signals growing confidence that AI-native, vertical SaaS products can unlock meaningful productivity gains in sectors long underserved by modern software.
Exhibitly Personalises B2B Event Websites to Boost Conversions
Exhibitly has raised €1.4 million in pre-seed funding to modernise how B2B event organisers attract and convert visitors online. The startup adds an AI-driven personalisation layer on top of existing event websites, positioning itself as a new breed of event management software focused on relevance rather than static information pages. When visitors land on an event site, Exhibitly analyses their role and company in seconds and serves tailored recommendations for sessions, speakers and exhibitors. The company argues that generic, one-size-fits-all experiences are a key reason potential attendees abandon registration. By increasing the perceived relevance of the event content, Exhibitly reports that users of its platform are more likely to complete sign-up compared with traditional event sites. Its no-integration approach, which automatically analyses and enriches website content, helps organisers adopt AI without complex IT projects. The funding will support team growth, product development and broader international expansion.
Retailgrid Reimagines Retail Spreadsheets With AI Automation
Retailgrid has secured €358,000 in pre-seed funding to build an AI-powered retail management platform that looks and feels like a spreadsheet but scales like enterprise software. Targeting mid-market retailers and FMCG brands, the startup positions its cloud-based “AI workbook” as a direct answer to the fragile Excel models that currently underpin pricing, assortment planning and demand forecasting. Retailgrid integrates with ERP systems, e-commerce platforms and market data feeds, then lets users create pricing models and forecasts through natural language prompts. Pre-built AI agents support core use cases including price optimisation, sales forecasting, promotion analysis, assortment planning and competitor monitoring. Crucially, the platform maintains transparency into the underlying data and logic, addressing a common concern with black-box AI tools. By reducing the time and complexity associated with retail analytics workflows, Retailgrid aims to free commercial teams from manual spreadsheet maintenance and external consulting cycles.
From Manual Spreadsheets to Domain-Specific AI Workflows
Exhibitly and Retailgrid share a common enemy: brittle, spreadsheet-based workflows that have become de facto infrastructure for B2B operations. In both events and retail, organisations rely on complex, manually updated models that are hard to audit, scale or standardise across teams. These limitations create friction just as data volumes and omnichannel customer interactions multiply. AI B2B platforms promise a way out by embedding intelligence directly into daily workflows while preserving the familiarity of existing interfaces and tools. The two startups reflect a broader shift toward domain-specific automation, where AI is applied to tightly scoped problems rather than as a generic platform for everything. Their success will depend on tangible performance gains, such as higher event registrations or faster pricing cycles, rather than abstract innovation. Early investor backing suggests confidence that such targeted automation can deliver measurable ROI and accelerate AI adoption in traditionally manual business processes.