Key Ward Emerges from Stealth to Boost AI in Engineering

Key Ward, a Berlin-based deeptech startup specializing in engineering data management and AI adoption, has emerged from stealth mode with €1 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Swedish venture capital firm Wellstreet, with participation from industry veterans connected to major companies like Siemens, Autodesk, and Dassault Systèmes.

The startup offers a no-code SaaS platform that enables engineering teams in industries such as automotive and aerospace to seamlessly integrate AI and manage complex data. This innovative approach eliminates the need for coding expertise or costly in-house development, significantly accelerating the design process.

Key Ward's platform allows engineers to extract and organize complex datasets from past simulations, creating custom AI models that can predict design performance in seconds. This capability contrasts sharply with traditional simulations, which can take days to complete.

CEO Hoss Habib, a former Porsche aerodynamics engineer, founded Key Ward after recognizing the inefficiencies in traditional car simulations and wind tunnel testing. "Managing data is crucial for effective AI," Habib stated. "Our platform is designed to make AI accessible to all engineers, not just data scientists."

While initially focused on automotive and aerospace sectors, Key Ward's versatile platform has demonstrated value across other fields, including packaging, biomedicine, and marine engineering.

Wellstreet's Partner and Fund Manager, Jessica Rameau, noted that despite the AI buzz, adoption in traditional industries has been slow. She emphasized that Key Ward's approach to addressing early adoption challenges positions it as a key player in leveraging AI at scale within engineering industries.