Top 10: Procurement Start-Ups to Watch

The procurement function is undergoing a radical shift as agentic AI becomes the operational backbone of global supply chains. 

In 2026, the traditional manual hurdles of vendor discovery, negotiation and compliance are being dismantled by a new generation of start-ups. From autonomous sourcing agents that slash cycle times by 80% to intelligent orchestration layers that harmonise fragmented ERP data, these innovators are turning procurement into a strategic growth driver. 

Procurement Magazine explores the Top 10 start-ups to keep an eye on over the next 12 months, as they look to redefine efficiency and resilience for the modern enterprise.

10. Mercanis

CEO: Fabian Heinrich
Founded: 2020

Berlin-based Mercanis provides an "Agentic-AI Procurement Suite" designed to automate the full procurement lifecycle. Built with an AI-first architecture, its Mercu AI Co-Pilot handles supplier discovery, risk detection and offer comparisons, delivering up to 40% process cost savings.

Unlike legacy systems with AI bolt-ons, Mercanis offers a modular, proactive solution for both SMEs and enterprises like BASF. With a recent US$20m Series A, the company is now expanding into the US market.

9. Nvelop

CEO: Mikko Valorinta
Founded: 2024

Helsinki-based Nvelop is an AI-native pioneer transforming enterprise procurement through agentic sourcing. Unlike traditional add-ons, Nvelop’s platform reimagines the entire lifecycle, from requirements gathering and RFP generation to negotiations, using a chat-first interface.

By automating compliance-heavy tasks and evaluating proposals in real-time, it accelerates sourcing cycles and ensures organisational alignment.

Recently securing €1.2m (US$1.4m) in seed funding led by Failup Ventures, Nvelop is scaling its engineering and go-to-market efforts to capture the burgeoning €10bn (US$11.6bn) procurement software market.

8. SkySelect

CEO: Erkki Brakmann
Founded: 2017

SkySelect is an AI-powered procurement platform revolutionising how airlines and maintenance providers source aircraft parts. By connecting a global network of 3,000 verified suppliers, its specialised AI engine replaces manual, fragmented processes with "just-in-time" efficiency.

This reduces aircraft-on-ground (AOG) downtime and slashes the industry's US$50bn excess inventory burden. Having processed more than US$6bn in transactions for clients like JetBlue, SkySelect recently raised US$9m to scale its AI tools and global operations.

7. Matchory

CEO: Aiko Wiegand
Founded: 2019

Matchory is a ProcureTech startup providing an AI-driven database of over 14 million supplier profiles.

By utilising web scraping and proprietary AI, the platform offers real-time insights into 98% of global manufacturers, helping companies like Bosch and Tesla reduce production costs by up to 50%.

Matchory is scaling its SaaS solution to automate supplier discovery while ensuring ESG compliance and supply chain resilience against geopolitical risks.

6. Pryzm

CEO: Nick LaRovere
Founded: 2024

Pryzm is modernising how the federal government discovers and acquires emerging technology. Built by Palantir and Lockheed Martin alumni, its AI-powered platform connects defense agencies with private industry to accelerate "concept to contract" timelines.

By unifying market intelligence and budget data, Pryzm helps the US maintain its technological edge despite bureaucratic hurdles. With a US$12.2m seed round led by a16z, Pryzm is scaling its mission-critical infrastructure to support a faster, more competitive national security ecosystem.

5. Procure AI

CEO: Yves Bauer and Konstantin von Bueren
Founded: 2020

Procure AI is a London-based platform pioneering AI-native automation for supply chain management.

By deploying more than 50 specialised agents, the platform integrates with existing data to automate sourcing, contracting and invoicing without requiring a system overhaul.

It delivers measurable efficiency, reducing task time by up to 46%.

4. Naboo

CEO: Maxime Eduardo
Founded: 2022

Founded in 2022, Paris-based Naboo is an AI platform streamlining corporate event procurement. By automating tenders and centralising fragmented tail spend, Naboo helps giants like Google and HSBC save up to 30% on costs.

Its specialised AI agents offer instant booking and 90% tender win rates while ensuring strict policy compliance. Following a US$70m Series B led by Lightspeed, Naboo is expanding its New York hub to capture the North American market.

3. Didero

CEO: Tim Spencer
Founded: 2023

Founded by Tim Spencer, Lorenz Pallhuber, and Tom Petit, Didero is an AI platform automating manufacturing procurement. Unlike traditional tools, it targets high-stakes supply chain sourcing, managing workflows from quotes to payments.

Acting as an agentic AI layer over ERP systems, Didero processes fragmented emails and messages to put procurement on autopilot. Recently, the company secured a US$30m Series A funding round led by Chemistry and Microsoft’s M12.

For manufacturers, Didero replaces manual coordination with seamless, automated execution across global trade.

2. Omnea

CEO: Ben Freeman
Founded: 2022

Founded in 2022 by CEO Ben Freeman, Omnea is a leading AI-native procurement intake and orchestration platform dedicated to transforming how enterprise businesses manage their third-party relationships. 

Recognising that traditional procurement is often hampered by manual, clunky processes, Omnea provides a "single front door" for employees to initiate requests using natural language. The platform seamlessly orchestrates workflows across finance, risk, IT and legal stakeholders, serving as a definitive source of truth for all supplier data.

The company recently secured US$50M in Series B funding led by Insight Partners and Khosla Ventures, bringing its total investment to over US$75M. 

This milestone follows a year of hypergrowth, during which Omnea quintupled its revenue and tripled its headcount. With a prestigious client base including Spotify, Wise and Adobe, Omnea is now scaling its vision for AI-powered Supplier Relationship Management. The firm continues to expand its agentic capabilities and is accelerating hiring across the UK and US.

1. Lio

CEO: Vladimir Keil
Founded: 2023

Lio (formerly askLio) is pioneering the world’s most advanced AI procurement workforce. By deploying a coordinated network of specialised AI agents, Lio transforms weeks of manual effort into minutes of automated efficiency. These agents work in parallel to manage the entire procurement lifecycle, from researching vendors and negotiating terms to verifying compliance and tracking deliveries.

Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing ERP and P2P systems in under two weeks, Lio acts as a single source of truth. It captures institutional knowledge, ensuring that even as veteran staff retire, their expertise remains accessible via natural-language interaction.

With an 85% reduction in manual tasks and an average of 10% in additional cost savings, Lio empowers teams to shift from tedious data entry to high-value strategic initiatives. Trusted by more than 500,000 users globally, Lio provides an enterprise-grade, GDPR-compliant solution that turns procurement into a competitive advantage.