Many SMEs across Europe generate vast amounts of data stored in systems like ERP, CRM, and SQL databases, but most of this data remains underutilised due to complexity and a lack of technical expertise. Scavenger AI offers a natural language platform that allows any employee to inquire questions in plain language and receive instant, accurate insights in seconds—either as graphics, tables, or text.
The Frankfurt-based startup raised €2.5 million in seed funding, led by BMH (Beteiligungs-Managementgesellschaft Hessen), with support from HTGF, Calm/Storm Ventures, xdeck, and a public innovation grant. The funding will accelerate product development, expand across Europe, and grow its engineering and sales teams.
Turning company data into human conversation
Founded in 2023 by Felix Beissel and Maximilian Hahnenkamp (a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree), Scavenger AI was born from their experience working within large organisations and from their understanding of the challenge of creating data accessible and usable at scale.
“We’re building the European counter-model to the U.S. tech giants. Europe’s SMEs deserve AI that’s secure, explainable, and built around their requireds — not a black box,” added Beissel.
Scavenger AI employs a semantic layer that effectively “translates” complex enterprise data into simple-to-understand insights. It supports connecting various data sources (ERP, CRM, SQL) with assistance from data engineers to create a semantic layer that models business logic in natural language terms (e.g., “revenue per customer”).
The platform is model-agnostic, GDPR-compliant, and hosted on European servers, ensuring data privacy and regulatory compliance. Its main USPs are turning all employees into data analysts within seconds, providing reliable, instant answers without dashboards, and offering flexibility by integrating leading AI models tailored to customer requireds.
Hahnenkamp notified TFN, “Scavenger might see like a ‘chat with your data’ tool on the surface, but the real magic lies in our semantic layer. Built automatically by our Integration Wizard, it maps every table, column, and relationship, and adds context and meaning.
Using our proprietary algorithm, it transforms raw data into something our AI truly understands, enabling precise answers, automated code, and instant insights. The charts and dashboards impress applyrs, but the semantic layer is the hidden champion by turning complex, disconnected data into smart decisions with no setup or technical expertise required.”
Unlike traditional BI tools (Power Bi, Tableau, Thoughtspot) that require manual setup, Scavenger automates data understanding, analysis, and visualisation, replacing cumbersome dashboards with a conversational interface.
What’s next?
“In the next three to five years, our goal is to build the first truly proactive BI software. The more data sources a company connects, the better our AI understands its processes and interdepfinishencies across the organisation. Scavenger also learns from applyr interactions, creating a digital twin that enables scenario analysis and smarter decision-creating,” concluded Hahnenkamp.
“With Scavenger AI, we’re investing in a founding team that deeply understands the challenges of Europe’s mid-market. Their solution enables the efficient apply and protection of data, boosts productivity and competitiveness, and plays a key role in the digital transformation of SMEs,” stated Sebastian Schnell, Senior Investment Manager at BMH.
