Berlin-based Plato secures €6 million aiming to transform the wholesale industry with AI | EU-Startups

Plato, a Berlin-based AI-powered ERP automation platform designed for wholesale distributors, has announced the closing of its €6 million pre-seed funding round. This funding round was led by Cherry Ventures, with additional support from the German government and notable tech industry leaders from Microsoft, SAP, NVIDIA, Celonis, Personio, Sennder, and Forto.

Plato provides wholesale distributors with a platform that integrates seamlessly with existing ERP systems, using AI to enhance both sales and operational workflows. Its technology automates routine tasks and leverages data insights to recommend sales strategies, helping distributors streamline processes, engage customers proactively, and drive profitability. Plato’s two main features are:

• Sales Intelligence: AI-driven recommendations for cross-selling, up-selling, and churn prevention.
• Workflow Automation: Automates routine tasks such as quote and order creation, freeing up sales teams to focus on growth.

Benedikt Nolte, CEO of Plato, said: “Plato is the all-in-one platform where distribution sellers thrive. We embed AI into daily workflows, turning reactive sales teams into proactive, data-driven sellers. Our solution transforms how distributors engage with their data and automate their processes, unlocking new levels of profitability for our clients.”

Addressing industry challenges

The entire wholesale industry faces significant challenges, intensified by the current economic crisis, including labor shortages, increased competition, and the urgent need for digital transformation. Plato’s solution addresses these issues by:

• Enabling proactive sales: Plato’s AI analyzes thousands of customer signals, identifying sales opportunities and enabling teams to process up to five times more information.
• Boosting efficiency: By automating routine tasks, AI saves up to 20% of sellers’ time, increasing customer-facing activities by 65%.
• Facilitating growth: Companies can scale their operations with existing staff and onboard new employees faster.

“Plato’s product aligns perfectly with Cherry’s core AI thesis of augmenting the modern workforce,” said Jasper Masemann, Partner at Cherry Ventures. “We spoke to countless teams across Europe, but only the exceptional team at Plato had the industry knowledge and technical capabilities to build a product for the massive market of wholesalers that will give them a decisive advantage over their peers. While Plato’s product vision is undoubtedly ambitious, we put our full capital commitment into them to support their growth into a long-term global leader and European success story.”

The industry’s need for transformation is reflected in Plato’s rapid customer acquisition, having tripled its client base in the past year and onboarded several of Germany’s largest distributors. Early adopters, like Layer Grosshandel, report significant improvements in sales operations and reduced manual tasks, validating the platform’s potential. The new funding will be used to expand Plato’s team and scale its product across multiple large customers with thousands of sales representatives.

As the wholesale industry faces evolving demands, Plato’s platform offers tools that can improve efficiency, increase sales, and help distributors gain a competitive edge.