- Proofs, leveraging AI, secures $2.6M in pre-seed financing led by Earlybird Digital East Fund.
- Focuses on speeding up and reducing costs of developing proof-of-concept apps for API-based products.
- Founded by Bartek Pucek and Zbigniew Sobiecki, seasoned entrepreneurs with extensive tech backgrounds.
- Aims to increase the creation of proof-of-concept apps beyond the current 1% industry standard.
- Funds will support product development, team expansion, and market penetration in the US.
Main AI News:
In a significant move to revolutionize software sales, Proofs, leveraging AI models, has successfully raised $2.6M in pre-seed financing. Earlybird Digital East Fund spearheaded the round, joined by Expeditions Fund, Step Function Ventures, RTP Global, and several angel investors.
Headquartered between San Francisco and Warsaw, Proofs addresses the formidable challenge of expediting and reducing costs associated with developing proof-of-concept apps for potential customers. Traditionally, this process for API-based products has been slow, consuming weeks to months and incurring expenses ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Currently, only 1% of prospects receive proof-of-concept apps, a statistic Proofs aims to significantly elevate.
Founded by Bartek Pucek and Zbigniew Sobiecki, both seasoned entrepreneurs, Proofs draws from their extensive backgrounds. Bartek, an accomplished angel investor with ties to Sequoia, a16z, and Y-Combinator, has invested in notable ventures like ElevenLabs and Zeta Labs. Zbigniew brings experience as a founder and CTO of tech companies, including Lite E-commerce, a major player in Poland’s ecommerce landscape. Their collaboration began at Forward Operators AI Lab, where they developed AI/ML solutions for clients such as Google and Decathlon.
The Proofs team comprises seasoned software engineers and AI researchers committed to reshaping industry norms. The newly secured funds will bolster product development, expand team capabilities, and facilitate a strategic go-to-market approach targeting mid-market and enterprise customers across the US.
Bartek Pucek, CEO of Proofs, emphasized the pressing need addressed by their platform: “API-driven companies allocate significant resources annually to develop proof-of-concept apps, yet face high lead churn rates during pre-sales. Engineering teams are stretched thin, and new hires take months to become effective. Proofs slashes costs by 10x, automating this critical process through AI to accelerate sales cycles and enhance conversion rates dramatically.”
Mehmet Atici, partner at Earlybird Digital East Fund, underscored the transformative potential of Proofs’ approach: “While APIs have revolutionized software delivery, tools catering to API-first companies are sparse. Proofs stands out by simplifying sales processes and integrations, poised to redefine software development and sales paradigms. We’re thrilled to support Bartek, Zbigniew, and their team as they pioneer this paradigm shift.”
Conclusion:
Proofs’ successful funding round underscores a growing demand for streamlined, cost-effective solutions in the API-driven software market. By automating and accelerating the proof-of-concept phase through AI, Proofs not only aims to enhance conversion rates and reduce sales cycle times but also sets a precedent for transforming how software products are developed and marketed in the future. This investment signals a significant opportunity for Proofs to pioneer innovation within the API-first ecosystem, potentially reshaping industry standards and practices.
