Munich AI Startup Elevatry Raises $3.3M to Revolutionize Procurement

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-15

### Elevatry Secures $3.3 Million to Automate Strategic Procurement Munich-based Elevatry, an AI platform for strategic procurement, has just closed a $3.3 million pre-Seed round. The fresh capital will fuel platform enhancements, team expansion, and European market entry before the company sets its sights on North America. The round was led by Bayern Kapital, with participation from management consultancy H&Z and a group of seasoned business angels, including Jan Henner-Theißen, Martin Berr-Sorokin, Mike Simon, Markus Ehrle, Andreas Junck, and Alexander Bruehl. ### Why Investors Are Betting Big on Procurement AI Heiko Schwarz, co-founder and CEO of Elevatry, puts it plainly: "Strategic purchasing is one of the biggest drivers of results in a company. So far, it's only being used where there's sufficient capacity and the necessary expertise." He adds that Elevatry's partners handle complex thinking and execute tasks at the highest level. "This allows purchasing teams to apply the methodology of their best category managers to every product group." Monika Steger, Managing Director at Bayern Kapital, sees a winning combination: "Elevatry combines a highly experienced founding team with a clear vision for the future of strategic procurement. The AI-native platform addresses a significant efficiency and value creation lever within companies." ### The European Procurement AI Landscape Heats Up Elevatry's raise is part of a broader trend. In 2026 alone, several European startups in AI-powered procurement have secured significant funding: - Pivot (Paris) – $37.8 million Series B - Soource (Italy) – $3.3 million - Procuros (Germany) – $22 million - Finches (Germany) – $2.2 million Across eight comparable deals, roughly $83 million has been raised, and that number climbs to over $86 million with Elevatry's round included. Notably, Bayern Kapital also backed Finches' pre-Seed, signaling a strong conviction in this space. ### How Elevatry's AI Changes the Game for Procurement Teams Founded in 2026 by Heiko Schwarz, Christian Ruck, and Tizian Ruck, Elevatry is headquartered near Munich. Its platform acts as a "system of initiative" rather than just a system of record. It proactively plans, prioritizes based on impact in dollars, and prepares proposals—but decisions are made collaboratively. Customers can configure their own levels of autonomy, approvals, and data sovereignty on an open multi-LLM architecture. The platform includes AI companions like a Category Strategist, Negotiation Coach, and Risk & Integrity Manager, which handle routine analytical work along the source-to-contract process. The potential impact is massive. For a company with $1 billion in revenue and $500 million in purchasing volume, a 10% improvement can translate into $50 million in additional profit. At a 5% margin, that's like doubling revenue to $2 billion. Yet most purchasing teams only actively manage a fraction of suppliers and product groups, leaving huge value untapped. ### What's Next for Elevatry? With this funding, Elevatry plans to enhance its platform, grow its team, and expand across Europe before entering North America. The company will also demonstrate the tangible impact on its customers. As Schwarz says, "Our investors bring together capital, exclusive purchasing expertise, and market access. From now on, we'll demonstrate the impact on our customers." As AI continues to reshape procurement, Elevatry is positioning itself at the forefront—helping companies unlock significant value from their purchasing operations.