Dragonfly Technology Secures £2.6 Million Pre-Seed Funding to Accelerate AI-Powered Software Discovery Platform
Dragonfly Technology Limited, a London-based artificial intelligence startup focused on simplifying software discovery and decision-making for businesses, has successfully raised £2.6 million (approximately €3 million) in a pre-seed funding round to accelerate development of its AI-driven platform and expand its proprietary data capabilities. The funding round, which closed in October 2025, represents a major early-stage milestone for the company as it moves from stealth mode into the public eye with its new conversational AI tool and broader enterprise ambitions.
Dragonfly was founded in December 2024 by Sean King and Sven Sabas with a vision to help organisations navigate the rapidly growing and increasingly complex landscape of digital tools and software products. Its platform acts as an AI-powered software discovery and advisory system that analyses a database of over 250,000 products to match businesses with the right technologies for their needs — a process the founders describe as delivering expertise akin to that of a professional solutions architect, but at machine speed.
The pre-seed round was led by London-based venture capital firm Episode 1, which specialises in early-stage B2B software and deep tech investments, particularly in AI and software infrastructure. Joining Episode 1 were Dreamcraft and Portfolio Ventures, as well as prominent angel investors including Sam Bourton, founder and CTO of QuantumBlack, and Markus Villig, founder and CEO of Bolt. This combination of institutional and strategic angel backing reflects strong confidence in Dragonfly’s mission and technology.
Dragonfly plans to use the new funding to expand its proprietary data catalogue, develop new AI-driven features, and hire key talent as it scales its product offering. Building out the dataset that underpins its software discovery engine is a central priority, as the company aims to deliver richer context and more precise recommendations for customers. The investment will also support marketing and growth initiatives as Dragonfly works to broaden its user base among startups and enterprise clients alike.
At the heart of Dragonfly’s offering is a conversational AI interface that allows users to query software recommendations in natural language, such as asking for tools that fit specific technical requirements or compliance standards. After analysing thousands of potential matches, the platform returns tailored recommendations within seconds — a significant improvement over traditional research methods that can take weeks or months of manual investigation.
Co-founder Sven Sabas has said that the idea for Dragonfly stemmed from his own experience navigating complex tech stacks at previous companies, where evaluating software options often proved time-consuming and opaque. By leveraging AI to automate the research process and surface data-driven insights, Dragonfly aims to help organisations make better technology decisions faster — a value proposition that resonates as the number of software choices continues to explode.
In addition to supporting core platform development, the funding positions Dragonfly to roll out its enterprise platform later in 2025, which will enable organisations to map, manage, and evolve their entire technology ecosystems. This enterprise offering is expected to include advanced analytical tools and “digital fingerprinting” capabilities that create a detailed blueprint of a company’s software architecture, enabling customised recommendations and optimisation paths tailored to each business’s unique needs.
The participation of seasoned investors like Episode 1 and Portfolio Ventures, alongside influential angel backers, underscores the broader trend of early-stage capital flowing into AI startups that solve real-world business problems. These investors bring both strategic resources and domain expertise, helping Dragonfly navigate the challenges of scaling a complex data-intensive product in a competitive market.
Dragonfly’s funding round also coincides with its first public product launch — a conversational AI tool now available to users — marking the start of its commercial journey beyond private development. With a growing market demand for tools that can cut through the noise of thousands of software options and provide clarity for technology decision-makers, the company believes its platform can deliver meaningful efficiency gains and cost savings for organisations of all sizes.
Looking ahead, Dragonfly aims to continue expanding its dataset, enhancing its AI capabilities, and deepening integrations with other enterprise platforms. As it matures beyond the pre-seed stage, additional funding rounds and strategic partnerships could further accelerate its growth and help the startup solidify its position in the software discovery and AI advisory market.
Overall, Dragonfly Technology Limited’s £2.6 million pre-seed funding round, led by Episode 1 with support from Dreamcraft, Portfolio Ventures, Sam Bourton, and Markus Villig, establishes a foundation for ambitious product development and scaling efforts in the rapidly evolving AI-assisted software decision-making space.
