Functionize Inc., a startup with an artificial intelligence platform for finding software bugs, has raised $41 million in fresh funding.

Mumford Investments and LHH Investments led the Series B round announced today. They were joined by the venture capital arms of Canva Pty Ltd and Wipro Ltd.

Developers test the reliability of their software by simulating the different ways that users may interact with the interface. Usually, the task is performed with scripts that automate much of the manual work involved in the process. However, writing and maintaining those scripts can still require a significant amount of time.

Functionize offers a cloud platform that promises to ease developers’ work. According to the company, software teams can input a natural language description of what application components they wish to test and have the platform automatically generate the necessary scripts. Functionize says that the feature automates 90% of the work usually involved in the process.

Test scripts often malfunction when the component they’re designed to test changes. For example, a script might not find an e-commerce website’s checkout button if it’s moved to a different interface section. Functionize’s platform detects such changes and automatically fixes any technical issues they may cause.

Some test scripts require the ability to enter data into the application they evaluate. For example, checking that a sign-up form works as expected might involve submitting a collection of sample account details. Functionize provides a tool that can automatically generate such data to save time for developers.

The platform can test not only the user-facing components of a service but also its application programming interface and backend components. A developer could, for example, have Functionize query the database that powers an application to check the accuracy of its contents. It’s also possible to evaluate the third-party systems on which an application relies on to run.

Testing application performance is another focus of the platform. According to Functionize, its algorithms measure loading times using virtual machines deployed in data centers around the world. Those virtual machines can detect localized slowdowns that only affect a subset of an application’s users. 

Functionize says that customers ran more than 1 billion AI-powered tests using its platform last year. Its installed base includes GE Healthcare Technologies Inc., ServiceNow Inc. and other large enterprises. 

“This investment will help bring us closer to achieving fully autonomous, AI-driven quality assurance that operates seamlessly within development sprints, requires minimal human intervention and extends our value to address broader CIO workflow inefficiencies beyond functional testing,” said Chief Executive Officer Tamas Cser.

The company will use the capital to hire more engineers and data scientists. In parallel, it plans to accelerate its go-to-market efforts with a focus on growing its international presence. 

Image: Functionize