Cato raises €6m for AI solutions in Italian public procurement

Milan-based startup Cato has raised €6 million in a seed funding round to develop artificial intelligence solutions for companies bidding on Italian public tenders. The round was led by Keen Venture Partners, with participation from existing investors including Italian Founders Fund, Vento, Heartfelt, Moonstone, BHeroes, Alecla7, and Nova Venture. Founders Andrea Zorzetto and Matteo Bossolini have brought the company’s total funding to €7.6 million.

Cato aims to automate the complex and manual workflows associated with public procurement. According to data from Italy’s national anti-corruption authority, ANAC, the total value of Italian public contracts reached €309.7 billion in 2025. Despite increasing digitalization, many suppliers still manually review tender documents and prepare applications. Cato’s technology tracks over 27,000 tender sources and maintains ISO 27001 certification to ensure data security.