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German AI Startup Octonomy Raises $20 Million to Automate Complex Business Workflows

Cologne-based startup Octonomy has raised $20 million from a group of investors including Macquarie Capital Venture Capital, Capnamic, NRW.Bank, and TechVision Fonds. Founded in 2024 by serial entrepreneurs Sushel Bijganath and Oliver Trabert, the company is developing AI agents to automate a range of enterprise processes.

Octonomy's technology is designed to handle customer, employee, and partner inquiries as well as complex workflows across up to 30 languages via chat, email, and phone, delivering human-quality responses around the clock. "Octonomy has developed an AI solution that automates complex knowledge work at an expert level. This is not just an evolution of the chatbot, but a true AI revolution, especially in the area of technical support," said Elmar Broscheit of Macquarie Capital Venture Capital.

The investment underscores growing demand for AI-powered automation in the enterprise. "Germany still has enormous potential when it comes to applying artificial intelligence in a business context. Octonomy is building an industrial tool that translates expert knowledge into scalable, operational intelligence and makes experience productive. These are exactly the kinds of technologies Germany needs to bring AI out of research and into value creation," said Jörg Binnenbrücker of Capnamic, which previously invested €5 million in Octonomy.

With around 70 employees, Octonomy is part of Cologne's dynamic startup ecosystem, which has attracted over 800 companies. The city benefits from a vibrant founder community, a strong investor landscape, and a range of coworking spaces, trade shows, and networking events supported by local economic development agency KölnBusiness.

The fresh capital will allow Octonomy to further develop its AI platform and expand its customer base. The startup's technology could have broad applications across industries, from automating IT helpdesk inquiries to streamlining back-office processes. As enterprises seek to boost productivity and cut costs amid economic uncertainty, demand for AI-driven workflow automation is likely to grow.