BMW i Ventures announced investment in Athenic AI, a data analysis and business intelligence (BI) pioneer. The $4.3 million round was led by BMW i Ventures, with participation from TenVC, Scrum Ventures, Stage 2 Capital, Beat Ventures, SpaceCadet, Boost VC, and Abstraction Capital.
With its LLM-enabled, self-serve platform, Athenic AI simplifies data analytics, provides actionable insights, and eliminates reliance on analysts. The proprietary search engine pulls data from ERP systems, CRMs, and data warehouses, delivering instant insights. Now, business users can ask questions in natural language and receive answers—via tables, graphs, or reports—within seconds. The platform democratizes access to critical insights by integrating multiple data sources, accelerating decision-making across teams.
“Access to business analytics is essential for a well-functioning, data-driven organization,” said Samantha Huang, Principal of BMW i Ventures. “Today’s process is inefficient—business teams face long waits for reports or dashboards, while analytics teams are overwhelmed with ad hoc requests. With Athenic AI, users have been able to reduce the time of their workflow from weeks to minutes. The potential for such technology is vast, not only for transforming Analytics and BI software but also paving the way for a new category.”
Four Core Pillars
- Empower users with instantaneous data analysis, allowing them to extract critical information at any given moment. This dynamic interaction with datasets is tailored to address teams’ immediate challenges, ensuring timely and crucial insights.
- Break down barriers by making analytics accessible to non-technical users.
- Go beyond mere analysis by enabling users to seamlessly incorporate data insights into their daily workflows. This empowerment equips them to dive deeper into trends, facilitating data-driven decision-making as a part of their daily routine.
- Tailor insights derived from company data to individual needs surpassing standard dashboards and reports that often lack the crucial nuance required for comprehensive analysis. This customization not only saves time but also enables more data-rich insights.
Jared Zhao, CEO of Athenic AI, said, “This investment is a testament to the transformative potential of Athenic AI in the BI space. As more organizations become data-driven, we believe there is a need for an intuitive and scalable BI solution for non-technical users. We are excited to continue our mission of democratizing data analysis and helping organizations uncover actionable insights from their data, ultimately driving better decision-making.”
Customers have already recognized the company’s value proposition, including Penske Media Corporation (PMC), a digital media and publishing company that owns Variety, Variety.com, Rollingstone.com, Deadline, Golden Globe, Billboard, and American Music Awards.
“Athenic AI augments our data capabilities by allowing our non-technical users to analyze data more directly and much faster,” said Gabriel Koen, Senior Vice President of Technology at PMC. “The platform helps us produce greater value from our data by increasing the number of people who can access insights.”
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About BMW i Ventures:
BMW i Ventures is the independent venture capital firm of BMW Group, investing in startups defining the future of mobility, supply chain, and sustainability. The firm has made many successful investments over the years in companies such as Blackmore, ChargePoint, CelLink, Fox Robotics, GaN Systems, Plus One Robotics, Our Next Energy, Tekion, Xometry, and many more. BMW i Ventures invests in all stages, from seed to growth, with a focus on Series A/B.
More information can be found at https://www.bmwiventures.com.
About Athenic AI:
Athenic AI is a data analysis and business intelligence company on a mission to empower individuals and enterprises to discover the “Why” behind their data and dashboards. With advanced Generative AI technology, Athenic AI offers instant data answers, democratizes analytics, empowers users to integrate data insights into daily workflows, and provides customization tailored to individual needs. Founded by a team with deep research experience at UC Berkeley, Athenic AI is dedicated to revolutionizing BI reporting and ad hoc analysis.
Read the full press release here.