A Better Way to Work
Today's featured startup is trying to reinvent the way we work... With AI, of course.
Project Overview
Inner AI is a workplace platform that enables employees to quickly and easily create work-related content using artificial intelligence.
Upon entering the platform, users immediately see options for the types of content they can generate.
This is possible thanks to a built-in library of ready-to-use templates designed to simplify common tasks. If a company needs employees to create something more specific, administrators can develop and add custom templates to the catalog.
With these templates, employees can generate reports, sales proposals, onboarding course materials, business process guidelines, blog posts, job descriptions, marketing campaigns, customer support responses, and much more.
The platform also allows users to pull data from integrated corporate sources when creating content. For example, when drafting an employee guide, users can ask the AI assistant to provide a list of frequently asked questions from the corporate chat and insert them along with AI-generated answers.
All AI-generated or manually written content can be edited. Users can shorten, expand, simplify, or enhance any section simply by selecting the appropriate option from the menu.
Similarly, AI-generated or uploaded images can be modified — changing the background, recoloring clothing, adjusting facial expressions, and more. Beyond text and images, Inner AI can also generate videos, which can be easily edited by modifying the script spoken by an AI character.
Collaboration is built into the platform, allowing multiple team members to edit or comment on documents in real time.
Inner AI’s core AI capabilities are powered by third-party models, including OpenAI, Mistral, and Stable Diffusion. Administrators can determine which models to use for specific tasks.
The individual version of the platform costs $12 per month, while corporate pricing is available upon request.
Founded in Brazil in 2023, Inner AI secured $2.4 million in initial funding. Since then, it has launched its platform, acquired notable Latin American clients, and raised an additional $2.4 million in investment.
What’s the Gist?
More people are incorporating AI into their daily workflows, but the most common way to use AI is still through a chat interface — asking ChatGPT or similar tools to complete tasks on demand.
This works for occasional use or varied tasks, but integrating AI into business operations requires embedding it into routine workflows rather than training employees in prompt engineering and chatbot interactions.
Inner AI reimagines the content creation process by offering a structured, template-driven approach rather than relying on open-ended prompts.
The startup aims to make users wonder how they ever worked without it.
A similar vision drives Zylon, a startup that raised $3.2 million in February of last year for its AI-powered platform that automates routine employee tasks. Like Inner AI, Zylon provides a structured entry point for various tasks, eliminating the need for users to interact with AI chatbots or craft prompts. Instead, employees simply click on a task and follow guided steps.
Zylon’s approach is based on the principle that AI use should be transparent and structured rather than a black box that magically produces results. Their platform leads users through a step-by-step process, ensuring reliable and predictable outcomes — similar to how Inner AI’s templates function.
Another startup in this space is Twin, which is also focused on automating business processes for small and medium-sized companies. Unlike Inner AI and Zylon, Twin relies on a chatbot interface but is specifically training its AI assistant to handle common business tasks. The platform has yet to launch but has already raised $3 million.
Key Takeaways
There’s a saying: “Revolutions are dreamed up by romantics, carried out by fanatics, and exploited by opportunists.” In technology, the process is a bit softer: innovations are conceived by inventors, implemented by technologists, and commercialized by skilled entrepreneurs.
Many startup founders want to be inventors or technologists, often dismissing products that simply “wrap” existing AI models instead of building new ones from scratch.
However, Inner AI and the other startups mentioned here are doing precisely that — creating intuitive interfaces around third-party AI models. And far from diminishing their value, this makes them more accessible and widely useful. After all, 99% of users don’t need raw AI models; they need simple, effective tools to complete their daily tasks.
The broader trend is toward developing practical, user-friendly AI applications that streamline common business workflows.
Inner AI, Zylon, and Twin are tackling automation for small and mid-sized businesses, but this approach can extend into more specialized domains.
Take Fora, another startup that raised $3.8 million in February. Instead of focusing on general business automation, Fora built an AI platform specifically designed to support executives and top managers.
The real question isn’t about inventing new AI technology — it’s about using existing AI capabilities to optimize workflows. What business processes could be streamlined with AI? How should AI-powered solutions be structured and integrated into company operations? What should the user interface look like?
Instead of trying to reinvent AI, the smarter move is to leverage what’s already been built — and that can be a far more lucrative strategy.
Company info:
Inner AI
Website: https://www.innerai.com/en
Last funding round: $2.4 million, 02.04.2024
Total funds raised: $4.8 million after 2 rounds