Fireflai Secures £415k Investment from DSW Ventures
Deal News | Mar 31, 2025 | Business Cloud

Manchester-based Fireflai, a SaaS platform focusing on resolving chaotic and fragmented product data through advanced AI, has raised £415,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by DSW Ventures. Founded by Tom Gardner and Craig Sumner in 2023, Fireflai aims to streamline vast datasets and enable better decision-making for businesses. The company has attracted industry veteran Laura Malins as a non-executive director, adding to its growing reputation in the tech community. Gardner cites this investment as a significant milestone in his career, having previously founded Robiquity, a company focused on robotic process automation. DSW Ventures, known for its strategic involvement in early-stage scale-ups, highlights Fireflai’s unique commercial and product proposition as a key factor in their investment decision. This funding is expected to propel Fireflai into its next growth phase, enhancing its technological capabilities and market footprint.
Sectors
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Venture Capital & Private Equity
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
Geography
- United Kingdom – The article is centered around Fireflai, a startup based in Manchester, UK, indicating the geographical focus of the business activities discussed.
Industry
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Fireflai uses advanced AI to solve issues related to chaotic and fragmented product data, showcasing the relevance of AI in innovative technology solutions.
- Venture Capital & Private Equity – The article discusses a pre-seed investment from DSW Ventures, highlighting the role of venture capital in funding early-stage companies like Fireflai.
- Software as a Service (SaaS) – Fireflai is a SaaS platform that provides AI-powered solutions for product data management, situating it within the broader SaaS industry.
Financials
- £415,000 – The amount raised by Fireflai in a pre-seed investment from DSW Ventures.
Participants
Name | Role | Type | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Fireflai | Target Company | Company | A Manchester-based SaaS platform using AI to address fragmented product data. |
DSW Ventures | Investor | Company | Venture capital firm investing in early-stage scale-up businesses, part of the Dow Schofield Watts group. |
Tom Gardner | Co-founder and CEO | Person | Co-founder of Fireflai, previously founded Robiquity. |
Craig Sumner | Co-founder | Person | Co-founder of Fireflai, expert in digital process transformation. |
Laura Malins | Non-executive director | Person | Industry heavyweight formerly from Manchester unicorn Matillion, joining Fireflai. |
Keith Benson | Partner at DSW Ventures | Person | Partner at DSW Ventures, commented on the investment in Fireflai. |