Artificial intelligence operating system for patents startup Ankar.ai Ltd. today revealed that it has raised $20 million in new funding to grow its team and expand further into the U.S.

Founded in 2023 in the U.K., Ankar has built an AI-powered operating system for innovation that transforms how companies and law firms generate and protect intellectual property. Its software platform supports patent professionals throughout the entire lifecycle of intellectual property, from idea capture and novelty assessment to drafting, prosecution and portfolio strategy.

The platform unifies fragmented patent tasks into a secure, unified workflow that allows users to manage everything in one place rather than across disconnected documents, spreadsheets and legacy systems. The platform helps users to create patent plans from start to finish, including making claims, clearer descriptions and more secure patent portfolios.

Under the hood, the platform uses AI to accelerate and enhance key patent processes, including performing instant novelty and prior-art analysis across hundreds of millions of patent applications and scientific publications. The platform is also built with robust governance and secure data controls tailored for sensitive patent work to ensure that corporate inventions and proprietary information remain protected throughout the IP generation and prosecution process.

“Invention is how we solve humanity’s biggest challenges, yet the systems that protect those ideas are decades out of date,” said co-founder Tamar Gomez. “AI will redefine how global organizations innovate over the next five years, turning IP from a cost center into a growth driver. The companies that adopt Ankar now will shape the future of innovation.”

Ankar’s solution is designed for both in-house IP teams and external patent law firms, helping them boost productivity, with customers reporting measurable gains while shifting effort from manual, administrative tasks to higher-value strategic work.

Notable Ankar customers include Johnston IP Law Group PLLC, L’Oréal S.A., Valeo SE, Vorysm Ltd., Nexans S.A. and Motorway Ltd.

The Series A funding round was led by Atomico Ventures LP, with Index Ventures Ltd., Norrsken VC AB and Daphni SAS also participating.

Image: Ankar