Echo CCIF · January 2026

AI at the service of fundraising

In the United States, an estimated 65% of venture capital funds now use artificial intelligence to analyse and assess start-up funding applications. In Europe, the figure is around 35%. The aim is clear: greater consistency and efficiency, less research time and optimised allocation of resources. Start-ups, for their part, are still struggling to keep up, which raises important issues for the ecosystem.

Based in Zurich, efino.ai is one of the pioneers in integrating AI into support for start-ups and investors. Its ambition is to make the fundraising and investment process smoother and more efficient. Thanks to AI, start-ups can, for example, test their funding strategy, establish their valuation, identify relevant investor profiles, define key indicators according to their sector and stage of development, or prepare their due diligence.

The involvement of a specialist remains essential to complement what AI does, and to detect and correct the biases (geographical, technological, gender, etc.) and gaps of today's AI. The time savings are considerable and the quality of applications improves, increasing the chances of success in a fundraising round.

On the investor side, the growing use of automated filters makes it essential for start-ups to meet the selection criteria. The integration of AI is therefore not just about efficiency gains: it is redefining the relationship between investors and entrepreneurs. While the former are accelerating their adoption, the latter must adapt to remain visible and credible in an environment where data is becoming strategic. For the ecosystem, the challenge is twofold: keeping pace with investor practices and integrating AI in a relevant and responsible way.

Photo caption: Brigitte Baumann, founder of efino.ai – Fri Up Start-up Lunch of 18.11.2025