Mid-sized companies are struggling to implement AI without massive engineering teams. Cake thinks it can fix that with a new platform that makes open-source AI tools enterprise-ready.
The big picture: While powerful open-source AI tools are freely available, getting them to work together securely in production remains a major challenge for businesses that can't afford large technical teams.
The New York-based startup raised $13 million including a recent $10 million seed round led by Google's Gradient Ventures. Their mission is to simplify AI adoption by managing the complex web of open-source AI tools, reducing engineering headaches and speeding up deployment.
Behind the scenes: Co-founders Misha Herscu (CEO) and Skyler Thomas (CTO) bring deep expertise in AI infrastructure. Herscu previously founded and sold an AI company focused on machine learning for radiology, while Thomas served as a distinguished engineer at HPE and chief architect at IBM. The pair founded Cake in 2022 after Herscu conducted over 200 customer discovery calls to understand the market's pain points.
Between the lines: Cake isn't building new AI tools. Instead, it's solving the integration problem by creating a platform that bundles existing open-source components into a secure, production-ready system. Early customers report cutting implementation costs by 80% and saving six to nine months on typical deployments. The platform currently integrates more than 100 AI components.
How it works: The platform maintains a modular architecture that lets companies customize their AI stack while providing pre-integrated security features and management tools. Companies can run everything on their own cloud infrastructure, making it suitable for regulated industries like healthcare and finance. The system automatically handles security updates and component upgrades without breaking existing deployments.
What's next: Cake plans to raise additional funding in mid-2025, suggesting confidence in its growth trajectory. The company is already working with customers in healthcare, insurance, and financial services.