Ankar, an AI startup developing technology to support patent protections, has secured a $20m (£15m) Series A investment.
The company claims to have developed a unified platform to replace the fragmented process of securing patents.
According to Ankar, its platform works across the entire lifecycle of a patent, from novelty and prior art analysis to draft applications and beyond.
“Invention is how we solve humanity’s biggest challenges, yet the systems that protect those ideas are decades out of date,” said Ankar co-founder Tamar Gomez.
“AI will redefine how global organisations innovate over the next five years, turning IP from a cost centre into a growth driver. The companies that adopt Ankar now will shape the future of innovation.”
The funding round, which follows a £3m seed investment secured in May this year, will be used to double the firm’s current team of 20.
“Patents sit at the intersection of deep technical knowledge and precise legal reasoning, and AI can finally unlock real leverage in that process,” added Ankar co-founder Wiem Gharbi.
“Ankar gives professionals the analytical depth they’ve never had before, enabling stronger strategy and better protection. Atomico shares our ambition to build the infrastructure behind the next generation of global innovation.”
The Series A round was led by Atomico and included investment from Index Ventures, Norrsken VC and Daphni.
“Tamar and Wiem bring exceptional technical depth and first-hand experience of how broken the patent process is,” said Atomico partner Andreas Helbig.
“Their momentum with Fortune 500 companies shows they’re building the right product at exactly the right moment. We’re proud to support their mission as they build the foundational infrastructure for how the world’s most important ideas are protected and commercialised.”
