As global supply chains face mounting pressures from geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainty, and the relentless drive for efficiency, procurement is undergoing a digital transformation. In this context, Berlin-based Mercanis has secured over $20 million in Series
A funding to accelerate its Agentic-AI procurement platform and expand internationally, including a planned entry into the U.S. market. The company’s rapid growth and the backing of prominent investors signal a broader shift in how organizations approach procurement, supplier management, and operational resilience.
We have recently also written about how this Berlin startup just bagged $5M to kill your marketing team.
What does the startup actually do?
Mercanis is a procurement technology startup founded in 2020, offering a cloud-based Agentic-AI Procurement Suite. The platform is designed to automate and optimize the entire procurement lifecycle, from supplier selection to contract management. Its core modules include:
Spend Analytics: Real-time analysis of procurement data to identify savings and improve decision-making.
Sourcing & Request Processes (RFx): Streamlined workflows for requests for information, proposals, and quotations.
Supplier Management (SRM): Centralized supplier onboarding, performance tracking, and risk management.
Contract Management: Digital contract creation, negotiation, and compliance monitoring.
A key feature is the Mercu AI Co-Pilot, which automates repetitive tasks such as supplier discovery, risk detection, intake management, and offer comparison. By leveraging intelligent agents, the platform claims to deliver over 40% process cost savings, a 2.5x increase in efficiency, and a 12x return on investment for its clients. Notable customers include BASF-Coatings, GASAG, Goldbeck, Wilson, and Brose.
Uwe Kreplin, Head of Procurement at GASAG, describes the impact: “Mercanis has transformed the way we manage suppliers and execute procurement projects. What used to take days now takes only hours. The automation and transparency help us act faster and make better decisions – especially when multiple stakeholders are involved. It’s a must-have for any procurement team looking to modernize.”
How are they unique and who are the competitors?
Mercanis positions itself as a category leader in Agentic-AI Procurement Suites, a new generation of software designed to make procurement intelligent, proactive, and value-driving. Unlike legacy systems that have been retrofitted with AI add-ons, Mercanis was built from the ground up with a native AI-first architecture. This enables the deployment of intelligent agents that autonomously handle tasks, streamline workflows, and surface strategic insights in real time.
The platform is designed to serve both large enterprises and fast-scaling SMEs. For enterprise customers, Mercanis provides robustness, security, and integration capabilities necessary for complex procurement demands. For SMEs, it offers an intuitive, modular solution that evolves with the company’s needs, leveraging pre-configured workflows that accelerate adoption and impact.
Mercanis directly addresses a persistent market problem: procurement is often under-digitized and inefficient. According to leading consultancies, up to 30% of potential savings are lost in inefficient sourcing operations due to fragmented processes, lack of visibility, and manual workarounds. Nearly 60% of procurement professionals still rely on improvised tools like Microsoft Office to manage complex, high-stakes tasks. Mercanis aims to replace these outdated tools and siloed processes with streamlined, AI-powered workflows that drive transparency, consistency, and speed.
In terms of competition, Mercanis aims to disrupt legacy players in the procurement space. Key global competitors include JAGGAER, Ivalua, and Coupa, each offering AI-powered procurement and spend management solutions. However, Mercanis differentiates itself with its AI-native foundation, deep functional coverage, and flexibility for both large and small organizations.
Valuation and founding team members: Background and experience
Mercanis has secured a total of $30 million in funding to date, including the latest Series A round of over $20 million led by Partech and AVP, with continued support from Signals.VC, Capmont Technology, Speedinvest, and several business angels. The company does not disclose its current valuation.
Founding team
Fabian Heinrich (CEO & Co-Founder): Heinrich previously co-founded and led Scoutbee, scaling it into a global leader in supplier scouting with offices in Europe and the U.S., a customer base including Siemens, Audi, and Unilever, and $76 million in funding. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Accounting and Finance from the University of St. Gallen. Heinrich began his career at Deloitte in corporate finance advisory before joining Rocket Internet SE as Global Venture Development & Managing Director in Berlin and the Middle East. His international experience and leadership across startups and procurement continue to shape Mercanis’s growth and strategic direction.
Moritz Weiermann (COO & Co-Founder): Weiermann started his career in the automotive sector, working in Purchasing at BMW and Volkswagen Group. He later moved into tech and digital innovation as an investment analyst and project manager at kloeckner.i, the digital arm of Klöckner & Co. He has held leadership roles at Optilyz and Scoutbee, gaining deep expertise in procurement and operations.
Weiermann holds a Bachelor’s degree from Bocconi University and a Master’s degree from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. At Mercanis, he oversees day-to-day operations and drives cross-functional alignment for scalable and efficient procurement solutions.
The company currently employs over 40 people in Berlin, with plans to expand its team as it enters new markets.
The origins and motivation behind Mercanis
The idea for Mercanis emerged from hands-on insights gained through the founders’ previous venture, Scoutbee, which focused on supplier discovery for multinational corporations. While working closely with procurement teams, Moritz and Fabian realized that supplier discovery was only a small piece of a much larger puzzle. They uncovered a more fundamental issue: the entire procurement function was significantly under-digitized and lacked automation, especially compared to other business functions like HR and Sales that had already undergone significant digital transformation.
With a strong belief in the transformative power of AI, the founders established Mercanis with a clear vision: to modernize and streamline procurement from the ground up. From the outset, they designed the platform’s architecture with AI in mind, ensuring it would be ready to harness the full potential of emerging technologies. As a result, Mercanis was born out of a clear market need and a conviction that procurement deserved a smarter, more future-ready solution.
What we think about the startup?
Mercanis’s rise reflects a broader trend in enterprise technology: the shift from manual, fragmented procurement processes to integrated, AI-powered platforms. Procurement is a critical function for operational and financial success—“a dollar saved is two dollars earned”—yet it is still too often viewed as a cost center rather than a strategic business partner. By introducing streamlined, AI-powered procurement workflows, Mercanis aims to empower procurement teams to move from reactive cost control to proactive value creation.
The company’s focus on agentic automation aligns with the growing adoption of AI in enterprise software. By automating not just data analysis but also operational decision-making, Mercanis aims to free up procurement professionals to focus on higher-value activities. This approach is particularly relevant as businesses seek to do more with less in uncertain economic times.
Looking ahead, Mercanis plans to drive international expansion, further develop its portfolio of AI-powered agents, and pursue horizontal growth across the procurement value chain. The company’s long-term vision is to redefine procurement as a real-time, AI-optimized core business function—moving away from static, manual workflows toward a fully integrated and intelligent system that proactively drives value, efficiency, and resilience across global organizations.
However, the market for procurement technology is highly competitive, with established players investing heavily in AI and automation. Mercanis’s success will depend on its ability to scale internationally, deliver consistent ROI, and adapt to the evolving needs of global enterprises. The planned expansion into the U.S. market will be a critical test of its product’s adaptability and market fit.
Industry analysts note that the next wave of procurement innovation will likely center on agentic AI, real-time analytics, and seamless integration with broader enterprise systems. Mercanis’s trajectory will be closely watched as a bellwether for the future of procurement technology.
Mercanis’s $20 million-plus Series A round marks a significant milestone in the evolution of AI-driven procurement. By combining agentic automation, integrated analytics, and a modular platform, the company aims to help organizations modernize procurement, drive cost savings, and build more resilient supply chains. The backing of leading investors and a growing roster of multinational clients underscore the platform’s traction and potential.
As procurement continues to move from the back office to the strategic forefront, solutions like Mercanis are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping how businesses manage risk, optimize spend, and respond to global challenges. The coming years will determine whether Mercanis can translate its early momentum into lasting impact in a rapidly changing market.
