The modern workforce is rapidly evolving, with companies relying more on external contractors, freelancers, and a growing number of AI agents. This shift creates a fragmented management landscape, where traditional human resources and procurement systems struggle to oversee diverse workforces effectively. Sherpa aims to address this by offering a unified platform for requesting, governing, and measuring all types of external work.

Founded by Tristan Deschler, Tim Altpeter, and Max Lang, the Munich-based startup's platform acts as an AI data assistant. It leverages generative AI to automate and streamline the entire corporate purchasing and vendor management lifecycle. Key functionalities include sourcing automation to match enterprises with suitable suppliers, intelligent data insights from contracts and supplier data, and workflow optimization for tasks like RFPs and vendor onboarding.

This $2.2 million pre-seed round, co-led by Seedcamp, DN Capital, Activant Capital, and Brighteye, with participation from several operator angels, highlights growing investor confidence in solutions that bridge the gap between human and AI workforce management. The capital will be used to expand enterprise deployments, deepen integrations with existing enterprise platforms like VMS, HRIS, and ERP systems, and advance compliance initiatives such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certification.

The integration of AI into workforce management is a significant trend, with the market projected to grow substantially in the coming years. Sherpa's approach of treating AI agents and human external workers under a single operating model positions it uniquely. This allows organizations to maintain control over data, governance, and compliance, which is crucial as AI adoption accelerates across industries.

By providing a cohesive framework, Sherpa helps enterprises navigate the complexities of a hybrid workforce, ensuring efficiency and strategic oversight. The platform's ability to automate routine tasks and provide actionable insights allows human teams to focus on higher-value activities, reflecting a broader industry move towards AI-augmented human capabilities rather than pure displacement.