Berlin-based deep-tech startup Key Ward emerges from stealth with €1M to boost AI adoption in Automotive, Aerospace, others

Key Ward, a Berlin-based deep-tech startup, has emerged from stealth mode with €1 million in pre-seed funding to enhance AI adoption in engineering. The funding round was led by Stockholm-based venture capital firm Wellstreet.

The round also saw participation from industry veterans connected to major companies like Siemens, Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, Ansys, Altair, and Hexagon, including notable figures such as Andy Fine, Edouard lété, and Eric Saint Frison.

Key Ward plans to use the funding to expand its technology globally, aiming to become the leading platform for engineers seeking to improve and accelerate their design processes.

The company offers a no-code SaaS platform that allows engineering teams in industries like automotive and aerospace to easily integrate AI and manage complex data without the need for coding expertise or costly in-house development. This significantly speeds up the design process and addresses the common challenge of transitioning from proof of concept to full-scale production.

The platform enables engineers to extract and organize complex datasets from past simulations, creating custom AI models that can predict design performance in seconds. This capability contrasts with traditional simulations, which can take days, thereby speeding up the design process and helping engineers avoid the usual setbacks in moving from concept to production.

The idea for Key Ward came from co-founder and CEO Hoss Habib, who, during his time at Porsche, noticed the inefficiencies and high costs associated with traditional car simulations and wind tunnel testing. Seeking a better solution, he teamed up with Maxime Bunel, Asparuh Stoyanov, and Lyuben Vodenicharov to create Key Ward.

The team has since successfully piloted the technology in both the automotive and aerospace industries, showcasing its potential. While initially focused on these sectors, Key Ward’s versatile platform now proves its value across other fields like packaging, biomedicine, and marine engineering. Its ability to handle complex simulations and geometrical data makes it an essential tool for engineers aiming to optimize designs swiftly and efficiently.

“Managing data is crucial for effective AI. Our platform is designed to make AI accessible to all engineers, not just data scientists. Whether in automotive, aerospace, or even biomedicine, our solution allows engineers to focus on innovation while maintaining control over their data and AI models,” Key Ward’s CEO Hoss Habib said.

Wellstreet’s Partner and Fund Manager, Jessica Rameau, commented on the investment, noting that despite the AI buzz, adoption in traditional industries has been slow. She emphasized that Key Ward’s approach to addressing early adoption challenges positions it as a key player in how engineering industries can leverage AI at scale.