AI core (foundational) Startups
43 AI core (foundational) startups are raising on Startup Fountain right now.
Startup Fountain is a matching platform for early-stage European startups raising capital. Founders apply once, and those that pass review are put in front of investors who have already said they back that sector, stage and country — instead of cold-emailing funds one at a time.
This page describes the AI core (foundational) companies raising on the platform right now. Every figure is an aggregate: no company is named, and a number only appears where enough companies sit behind it to mean something.
Founders. Raising in AI core (foundational)? These figures show the companies you are raising alongside, and who is funding them. See how it works.
Investors. Investing in AI core (foundational)? This is the deal flow you would see inside the platform. See how it works.
What counts as AI core (foundational)
AI core covers startups building foundational AI technology itself, models, infrastructure, and tooling, rather than companies that simply apply AI within another vertical. A healthcare company using AI internally would be classified under HealthTech, for example, this category is reserved for the underlying AI technology and infrastructure layer.
Key figures
| AI core (foundational) startups raising now | 43 |
|---|---|
| Joined in the last 90 days | 32 |
AI core (foundational) is the 1st largest of 33 sectors on Startup Fountain, with 43 companies raising, against a median of 10. Among them, the typical round is €500k – €1M. Each company here has 1.9 investors covering its sector, more than the platform average of 0.9. AI core (foundational) companies most often also work in Security / Cybersecurity, which 7 of them are tagged with.
32 of these 43 companies joined Startup Fountain in the last 90 days, so this is a live pipeline rather than a static list.
How this compares
| Rank among all 33 sectors on the platform, by number of startups | 1st |
|---|---|
| Share of all startups on Startup Fountain | 22% |
| Startups in the median sector, for comparison | 10 |
What these companies look like
| Investors per startup (platform-wide: 0.9) | 1.9 |
|---|---|
| Typical round being raised | €500k – €1M |
| Countries holding half of these companies | 1 |
Aggregates across all 43 companies; none is identified.
Most often combined with AI core (foundational)
Sectors most often tagged alongside this one.
AI core (foundational) startups by country
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Frequently asked questions
What is Startup Fountain?
- Startup Fountain is a matching platform for early-stage European startups raising capital. Founders apply once and are matched with investors who have stated they back their sector, stage and country; investors join to see startups that fit the criteria they set. Introductions are made through the platform rather than by cold outreach.
How many AI core (foundational) startups are raising on Startup Fountain?
- 43. That counts companies that have passed review and are marked as currently raising, not every company that has ever signed up.
How do I get introduced to investors in AI core (foundational)?
- Apply as a startup. Applications are reviewed, and companies that pass are matched with investors whose stated focus covers their sector, stage and country. There is no cold outreach and no list to buy.
How much are AI core (foundational) startups raising?
- The typical round is €500k – €1M. Of the 43 currently raising, figures vary by stage.
How much investor interest is there in AI core (foundational) startups?
- 1.9 investors on Startup Fountain cover this space for every company raising in it, against a platform average of 0.9.
Are the startups counted here named?
- No. Every figure on this page is an aggregate across the whole group, and a statistic is only published where enough companies sit behind it that no single one can be read off it. Company names are visible only to investors inside the platform.
How current are these figures?
- They are rebuilt from the live platform data, and the date they were last refreshed is shown at the foot of this page. The counts move as startups join, finish raising, or are reviewed.
What does "AI core" mean, specifically?
- Startups building foundational AI technology, models, infrastructure, and developer tooling, as distinct from companies applying AI within a specific industry vertical.
Why isn't every AI-using startup listed under AI core?
- A company using AI to solve a problem in, say, healthcare or finance is categorized under that vertical instead, AI core is reserved for the underlying technology layer itself.
How do I connect with AI core investors on Startup Fountain?
- Apply as a startup for free, no broker fees, and get matched with vetted investors active in foundational AI.
Raising for your startup?
Startup Fountain matches founders with investors who back AI core (foundational), and introductions are requested through the platform.
See how Startup Fountain worksInvesting in this space instead? Startup Fountain is open to investors too — see how that side works.
Data as of .