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Tana snaps up $25M as its AI-powered knowledge graph for work racks up a 160k+ waitlist

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3 hours ago

February 3, 2025

Tana snaps up $25M as its AI-powered knowledge graph for work racks up a 160k+ waitlist

The goal of simplifying to-do lists for individuals and teams in the working world using AI technology has long been a challenge in business tech. However, startup Tana, led by ex-Googlers, believes it has cracked the code with its automated list-building and note-taking application.

Tana has emerged from stealth mode with $25 million in funding from a diverse group of investors. The platform transcribes conversations and voice memos, turning them into action items and organizing them into lists, spreadsheets, and more. It also offers a feature called “Supertag” for transforming unstructured information into structured data.

The startup aims to improve over time by learning from user data to build future iterations. CEO Tarjei Vassbotn describes Tana as a “knowledge graph” that helps individuals and teams manage and work with generated data and action items.

With a waitlist of 160,000 users, including many from large enterprises, Tana has gained momentum from its closed beta and word of mouth. The team behind Tana, based in Palo Alto and Norway, includes ex-Googlers and industry veterans with experience in building productivity tools.

Investors, including Tola Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners, have shown confidence in Tana’s potential. The startup’s focus on AI-powered productivity tools has attracted notable angel investors who have previously worked on similar projects.

Tana’s founders acknowledge the challenges of building efficient productivity tools and believe that AI can finally solve this conundrum. The company has adapted its approach to incorporate advanced language models and works with partners like OpenAI to enhance its natural language processing capabilities.

As Tana continues to evolve, its goal is to integrate with various tools and platforms to streamline workflows and improve productivity for its users. Through a combination of AI technology and strategic partnerships, Tana aims to revolutionize the way individuals and teams manage their tasks and information.

If each of those tools has its own AI agent, how will they collaborate effectively? This could lead to a situation where information is disjointed and out of sync across all platforms due to copying and pasting. This is the core issue that needs to be addressed.

There are several companies, such as Notion, who are likely exploring the idea of developing an AI-powered assistant to enhance our digital interactions.

While Tana still has room for improvement before reaching a seamless user experience, Kriken acknowledges that it is currently more suited for tech-savvy professionals who are willing to customize their experience. However, the long-term vision is for Tana to be utilized by all knowledge workers.

Investors see great potential in Tana. Sheila Gulati of Tola Capital describes it as a transformative tool that she uses in her own VC firm. The team behind Tana is dedicated to enhancing productivity in a unique way, setting them apart in a competitive market.