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§ Private Profile · Amsterdam, Netherlands
Weaviate is a technology company.
Weaviate is an open-source, cloud-native vector database that stores objects and vectors, facilitating semantic search and AI-native application development. It integrates capabilities for managing embeddings, ranking results, and auto-scaling. This allows developers to focus on building AI applications efficiently. It processes and queries data based on meaning, crucial for modern AI workloads.
Bob van Luijt co-founded Weaviate in 2019. His insight recognized the need for specialized database infrastructure for AI applications. He envisioned a database inherently processing semantic information, surpassing keyword search limitations. This led to a vector database optimized for the AI-first era.
The company serves developers building and scaling AI-driven applications, providing essential data management tools. Weaviate’s mission is to establish a profitable, AI-first, open-source company centered around its vector database. It aims to become a foundational layer for future AI applications, simplifying data interactions and accelerating innovation.
Weaviate has raised $68.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Weaviate has raised $68.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Weaviate is an AI-native, open-source vector database company that builds infrastructure for developers creating AI applications like semantic search, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and agentic AI.[3][2] It serves developers, enterprises, and AI teams by enabling fast vectorization, storage, and querying of multimodal data (text, images, audio), solving the problem of inefficient keyword-based search with semantic understanding for more relevant, scalable AI results.[2][3][1] Growth momentum includes recent launches like the AI Workbench for rapid app building (e.g., recommenders), tiered storage (hot/warm/cold) for cost-performance optimization, and a Labs division for innovative features like generative feedback loops, alongside cloud scaling to billions of objects.[1][2][3]
The company offers flexible deployment—self-hosted via Docker/Kubernetes, serverless pay-as-you-go cloud, dedicated enterprise clusters, or Bring Your Own Cloud—backed by investors like Index Ventures and Battery Ventures, positioning it as a profitable, AI-first open-source leader.[4][5][7]
Weaviate emerged from the vision of Dutch web developer and founder Bob van Luijt, who transitioned from successful consulting businesses to product development, seeking to build foundational AI infrastructure.[6] The idea crystallized as Bob recognized the need for AI-native databases amid rising vector search demands; he started the project organically, which gained traction as an open-source tool before formally incorporating as Weaviate B.V.[6][4]
Pivotal moments include the 2023 serverless cloud launch, timed perfectly with ChatGPT's hype, accelerating growth from a "small band of visionaries" to a global remote-first startup with enterprise focus.[6][5] Today, it's backed by prominent VCs like Index Ventures, Battery Ventures, NEA, and Zetta Venture Partners, fueling expansion into a full AI-native platform.[4]
Weaviate stands out in the vector database space through these key strengths:
These enable faster AI app shipping over rigid alternatives, emphasizing community-driven open-source evolution.[5]
Weaviate rides the AI-native infrastructure wave, powering the shift from keyword search to semantic, vector-based systems essential for RAG, agents, and multimodal AI amid exploding unstructured data.[3][2][6] Timing is ideal post-ChatGPT, as enterprises demand scalable, cost-optimized tools for production AI—Weaviate's 2023 serverless launch and 2024 Workbench capitalize on this, enabling low-latency apps (e.g., e-commerce recommenders) via hot storage while cutting costs for others.[1][6]
Market forces like rising AI agent adoption and need for trustworthy, grounded experiences favor it; as open-source leader, it influences the ecosystem by fostering developer communities, reducing infra complexity, and integrating seamlessly into stacks, positioning AI at products' core rather than an add-on.[3][6]
Weaviate is poised to evolve from vector database to comprehensive AI-native platform, with Labs driving features like agent feedback loops and workbench apps accelerating developer productivity.[1][6] Trends like agentic AI, multimodal scaling, and cost pressures will shape it—expect deeper enterprise integrations, broader model support, and hybrid cloud expansions to handle exabyte-scale workloads.[3][2]
Its influence will grow as the go-to open-source infra for AI builders, from startups to Fortune 500, solidifying Bob van Luijt's vision of enabling any developer to ship AI-native apps efficiently—transforming Weaviate from hype rider to indispensable backbone.[6][5]
Weaviate has raised $68.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Weaviate's investors include Erin Price-Wright, Atlantic Bridge, Battery Ventures, Citi Ventures, Mango Capital, MMC Ventures, Alex Sharata, New Enterprise Associates, Norwest Venture Partners, Sapphire Ventures, Shivon Zilis, Danel Dayan.
Weaviate has raised $68.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $50.0M Series B in April 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2023 | $50M Series B | Erin Price Wright | Atlantic Bridge, Battery Ventures, Citi Ventures, Mango Capital, MMC Ventures, Alex Sharata, NEW Enterprise Associates, Norwest Venture Partners, Sapphire Ventures, Shivon Zilis, Danel Dayan, Cortical Ventures, ING Ventures, NEA, Zetta Venture Partners | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2022 | $17M Series A | Igor Taber, Tony Florence | Incisive Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Scale Asia Ventures, Vincent Buitelaar, James Alcorn | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2020 | $1M Seed | — | Battery Ventures, Tony Florence, Scale Asia Ventures | Announced |