European AI Startup Nexos.ai Secures Major Series A
Nexos.ai, a rising European AI startup, has raised €30 million (approximately $35M) in a Series A funding round, co-led by Index Ventures and Evantic Capital. The round also included participation from previous investors Creandum and Dig Ventures, as well as angel investors including the CEOs of Datadog, Klarna, Supercell, and Wix.
This follows Nexos.ai’s recent emergence from stealth after an $8 million seed round led by Index Ventures. Placing company valuation at €300 million (~$350 million), the new funding shows growing investor confidence in enterprise-focused AI solutions that address both productivity and data security.
A Neutral Intermediary for AI Adoption
A double-edged sword is what AI adoption represents, for on the other side of the allure of skyrocketed productivity, there loom grave security and governance risks. This is especially true for enterprises, as employees have to upload sensitive information.
Co-founder Tomas Okmanas, formerly of Nord Security, describes the problem as “the biggest corporate data leak in the making.” Rather than banning AI, Nexos.ai positions itself as a neutral intermediary, or “Switzerland for LLMs,” that sits between employees and AI systems. This approach allows companies to leverage AI tools safely, keeping sensitive corporate data under control without compromising on efficiency.
How Nexos.ai Works
The platform consists of two core components: the Workspace and the Gateway. The AI Workspace is a user-friendly interface for employees to interact with AI tools securely. The AI Gateway control layer is for developers and handles security, cost management, and compliance oversight.
The AI Gateway also tackles fragmentation, providing a single access point to over 200 AI models. The Series A capital is set to accelerate support for private AI models capable of handling sensitive data. It will achieve this by ensuring compliance for regulated industries and enterprises with strict governance policies.
Okmanas notes that Nexos.ai conducts 50 to 60 demo calls per week and initially focuses on tech-savvy companies already using AI, as well as organisations in regulated sectors concerned about governance and cross-border data risks.
Founders with Proven Track Records
Nexos.ai was founded by Tomas Okmanas and Eimantas Sabaliauskas, the Lithuanian entrepreneurs behind Nord Security, the $3 billion cybersecurity company behind NordVPN. The duo bootstrapped their previous ventures, but this time opted for venture capital support to accelerate growth.
Evantic Capital, founded by former Sequoia partner Matt Miller, co-led the round, leveraging its “Legends” network of 140 operators who advise portfolio companies. Both Okmanas and Sabaliauskas are using this network to refine product development and scale operations effectively.
Early Customers and Market Validation
The concept of a secure intermediary for AI emerged from the founders’ oversight of Tesonet, their startup incubator and investment firm. Tesonet portfolio companies are among Nexos.ai’s first clients, alongside Payhawk, a Bulgarian fintech unicorn with an office in Vilnius.
The platform has already shown measurable value. At Hostinger, a Tesonet portfolio company, an AI assistant reduced the need for human support, saving €10 million in one year alone by avoiding the hiring of additional staff.
While Nexos.ai has not disclosed its own revenue, Okmanas projects that the team will grow to 100 employees by the company’s first anniversary, primarily in Europe, reflecting demand driven by data sovereignty concerns and enterprise adoption.
Scaling Across Europe and North America
The new funding will support:
- Expansion into regulated industries and public institutions concerned with AI governance and data privacy.
- Acceleration of private AI model support, enabling secure use of sensitive corporate data.
- Product development and platform enhancements, including AI Workspace and AI Gateway features.
Okmanas emphasises that the company’s mission is to remove barriers to enterprise AI adoption. This provides organisations with the tools to leverage AI safely and effectively.
“Boards may debate whether AI delivers value, but within Tesonet’s portfolio, the benefits are clear. Nexos.ai makes secure AI adoption possible without sacrificing control or productivity,” he said.
More News: YZi Labs Leads $25M Strategic Round for Sign
Why Nexos.ai Matters
Nexos acts as a trusted intermediary between corporate teams and AI tools. It provides a lot of industry value, including
- Keeping sensitive data on-premise while enabling AI use.
- Centralising control. The AI Gateway manages access, compliance, and costs across models.
- Supporting private AI models for regulated industries and enterprises.
- Reducing manual work and enhancing efficiency without additional hires.
- Leveraging growing interest in data sovereignty and AI governance policies across Europe.
Nexos.ai addresses one of the largest barriers to enterprise AI adoption. It does this by positioning itself as a critical player in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
To stay updated on crypto venture capital funding and market trends, visit our venture capital news section for more insights.
