Ankar Secures £3M Seed Round for AI Patent Platform
Deal News | May 28, 2025 | UK Tech Funding
Ankar, a startup leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate and streamline the patenting process, has successfully closed a £3 million seed funding round. The company utilizes AI agents to assist inventors in securing patents for new intellectual property (IP), aiming to expedite the registration of innovative technologies. Its AI-driven platform, which draws on scientific and legal data, identifies gaps, assesses originality, and drafts patent submissions. It further aids in detecting IP infringements and identifying new licensing opportunities. This investment round was spearheaded by Index Ventures and included contributions from Daphni, Motier, Booom, and Puzzle Ventures. Ankar’s co-founders, Tamar Gomez and Wiem Gharbi, both former employees of Palantir, are committed to making AI a central component of the invention process, fundamentally transforming how innovation is captured and commercialized. Index Ventures' partner, Hannah Seal, highlighted Ankar’s capacity to convert intellectual property into a strategic asset, thereby fostering economic growth. This innovative approach places Ankar at the forefront of a significant shift towards integrating AI within R&D and the broader invention landscape.
Sectors
- Technology
- Intellectual Property
- Venture Capital
Geography
- United Kingdom – Ankar's seed funding round is reported in a UK tech funding news aggregator, indicating its involvement in the UK market.
Industry
- Technology – The article focuses on an AI-driven platform developed by Ankar, which indicates its alignment with the technology sector, particularly in the realm of software and AI technology.
- Intellectual Property – Ankar's core business involves assisting inventors with patent registration and IP management, directly associating the article with the intellectual property industry.
- Venture Capital – The involvement of multiple venture capital firms in the seed funding round classifies the article within the venture capital industry as well.
Financials
- £3 million – The amount of seed funding secured by Ankar.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankar | Target Company | Company | A startup utilizing AI to aid inventors in securing patents for intellectual property. |
| Index Ventures | Lead Investor | Company | A venture capital firm leading the seed funding round for Ankar. |
| Daphni | Investor | Company | Participated in Ankar's seed funding round. |
| Motier | Investor | Company | Participated in Ankar's seed funding round. |
| Booom | Investor | Company | Participated in Ankar's seed funding round. |
| Puzzle Ventures | Investor | Company | Participated in Ankar's seed funding round. |
| Tamar Gomez | Co-founder | Person | Co-founder of Ankar, previously worked at Palantir. |
| Wiem Gharbi | Co-founder | Person | Co-founder of Ankar, previously worked at Palantir. |
| Hannah Seal | Partner | Person | Partner at Index Ventures who commented on the investment in Ankar. |