26. February 2026
Berlin Startup Plato Lands 145M Boost To Revolutionize Global Wholesale Trade With Generative Ai
Berlin-based startup Plato has closed a $14.5 million seed funding round, led by Atomico, with participation from Cherry Ventures, Discovery Ventures, and D11Z. The investment will enable Plato to bring generative AI into the heart of wholesale distribution, a sector that plays a vital role in facilitating global production flows.
Wholesale distribution accounts for approximately one-fifth of global production flows, yet it continues to operate on outdated systems and manual processes that have remained largely unchanged for years. The industry’s traditional reliance on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Excel spreadsheets, and cumbersome quoting workflows makes it ripe for disruption by AI-powered solutions.
Plato’s founders, Benedikt Nolte and others, were driven to create a solution to address the inefficiencies they experienced firsthand in their family’s distribution business. The company’s thesis is straightforward: instead of adding another dashboard, embed AI directly into the operational core of wholesale distribution. By connecting to existing ERP systems, Plato turns historical sales data into automated actions, flagging revenue opportunities, generating quotes, and identifying potential risks before they surface in quarterly reports.
The concept behind Plato’s technology is rooted in the understanding that generic CRM tools are not designed to address the complexities of distributor operations. Traditional SaaS templates, which have proven successful for startups, do not possess the nuance required to tackle the intricate challenges faced by wholesale distributors.
Plato’s early success suggests that the industry is taking notice and willing to adopt AI-powered solutions. The company reportedly works with several large distributors on six-figure contracts, an indicator that AI adoption in traditional sectors is shifting from mere hype to tangible benefits. By automating sales intelligence, procurement, and customer service processes, Plato aims to modernize the wholesale trade landscape.
The fresh capital investment will enable Plato to expand its offerings into new areas, such as procurement and customer service automation, while pushing into new European markets and eventually the U.S. market. This strategic expansion is crucial in establishing Plato as a leading player in the wholesale trade AI space.
The $14.5 million funding round highlights a broader shift in AI investing. The next wave of investment is no longer focused solely on developing larger language models but rather on embedding intelligence into industries that have not yet been transformed by software. Wholesale distribution, although not glamorous, holds structural importance. If AI can modernize this layer of the economy, the impact will be significantly larger than another chatbot demo.
The wholesale trade industry’s transformation through AI presents a compelling opportunity for innovation and growth. By harnessing the power of generative AI, Plato has the potential to revolutionize the way distributors operate, making it easier for them to navigate complex supply chains, optimize logistics, and drive revenue growth.
Wholesale distribution operates with intricate relationships between suppliers, distributors, and customers, which presents an attractive target for AI-powered solutions. The industry’s transformation through AI will lead to enhanced decision-making capabilities, improved customer experiences, and increased efficiency.
As Plato continues to expand its operations, it will be essential to address the challenges associated with integrating AI into traditional industries. This includes developing software that can accommodate diverse business processes, ensuring data security and compliance, and providing training programs to help distributors adapt to new technologies.
Despite these challenges, the wholesale trade industry’s transformation through AI presents a compelling opportunity for growth, efficiency, and innovation. With Plato at the forefront of this revolution, the future of wholesale distribution is likely to be shaped by intelligent automation, enhanced decision-making capabilities, and improved customer experiences.
Plato’s technology has the potential to transform the wholesale trade landscape, making it easier for distributors to operate efficiently and effectively. The company’s early success suggests that the industry is taking notice and willing to adopt AI-powered solutions. With the fresh capital investment, Plato will be well-positioned to capitalize on this trend and drive meaningful change in the wholesale trade sector.
The investment also underscores the growing recognition that AI is not limited to marketing, customer support, or coding but can be applied to a wide range of industries. Wholesale distribution presents an attractive target for AI-powered solutions due to its intricate web of relationships between suppliers, distributors, and customers.