Autentic AI, an artificial intelligence-powered market research startup, has raised €1.5 million in a Pre-Seed funding round. The round included Baobab Ventures, the fund founded by Carles Reina, along with Lanai Ventures, Acurio Ventures, and Masia VC. The company plans to use the capital to automate its research process, strengthen its participant network, and reduce its reliance on third-party panels.
Investor backing and founder experience
The startup also counts a group of experienced entrepreneurs and operators among its partners. They include Alfonso Núñez of EY-Parthenon, Otto Wüst and Marc Elena of Adsmurai, David Zafra and Sergio Espeja of HeyDiga, Pablo Amade of Morbo Brand Makers, Miquel Pousa of The Matter and Form, and Marcos Valera of Elevenlabs. Autentic AI was founded by Dani Diestre, formerly of Cafler and Payfit, Aniol Carreras of Lifull Connect, and Jacob Bamio of Factorial.
Addressing the cost of slow research
Traditional market research can be expensive and time-consuming, which limits how often companies gather customer feedback. Autentic AI aims to make research more accessible so businesses can use customer insights to inform decisions on a regular basis. Co-founder and co-CEO Dani Diestre said a study costing €100,000 and taking three months may arrive too late, because the market has often moved on by then.
AI-led interviews and human interpretation
Autentic AI has developed a platform that uses artificial intelligence to interview hundreds of consumers and industry experts simultaneously. The startup combines AI-led interviews and automated data analysis with human researchers who interpret findings, identify context, and translate results into actionable insights. This hybrid model reduces the time required for market research from weeks or months to a matter of days.
Scale and sector coverage
The company currently conducts around 1,000 interviews per day and expects to complete more than 400,000 by the end of 2026. Its platform serves four main sectors: fast-moving consumer goods, retail, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and strategy consulting and private equity. These sectors often require frequent customer feedback to support timely decisions in competitive, fast-changing markets.
Verified participants and video evidence
To support the reliability of its findings, Autentic AI works with verified participants who are compensated for their time. Every conclusion is linked to video evidence from interviews, allowing clients to review the responses behind the analysis. The platform also identifies patterns and connections, with results that can be segmented by factors such as age, region, or product usage.
Funding for automation and recruitment
The new funding will be used to further automate Autentic AI's research process from start to finish. The company will also build its own network of verified consumers and industry experts, strengthening its internal infrastructure for participant recruitment and quality control. This strategy is intended to improve research reliability while reducing dependence on third-party panels.
Autentic AI is positioning itself to make customer research a regular part of business decision-making rather than an occasional, costly exercise. Co-founder Dani Diestre noted that expensive, slow studies can leave companies acting without hearing from customers, and the startup wants research to be available every week. With fresh capital and a growing automated platform, the company aims to expand its capacity and deliver faster, evidence-backed insights for its clients.