The seed funding round, led by Blackbird, saw participation from notable angel investors including Rowan Simpson and Eliot Crowther, alongside founders from successful companies like Trade Me, Pushpay, Xero, and Vend. This diverse backing highlights confidence in Sterling's approach to tackling the often-manual and repetitive tasks within finance departments.

Founded in 2025 by Nik Wakelin and Ludwig Wendzich, Sterling's platform acts as an "autopilot" for finance and accounting, automating workflows such as invoice processing, bank reconciliation, and month-end routines. The software integrates with existing finance tools, providing explainable and continuous automation. This contrasts with traditional ERP systems that often require extensive manual configuration and lack the adaptive intelligence to handle variations in data.

The capital will be primarily used to scale hiring efforts and accelerate expansion into larger enterprise clients across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. The focus on enterprise adoption suggests a strategic move to capture a significant share of the market for AI-driven financial automation, moving beyond smaller businesses. The investment reflects a broader industry trend where AI is shifting from a supplementary tool to a core component of operational infrastructure, particularly in sectors like finance where data volume and complexity are high.

Sterling's solution aims to address a critical pain point for finance teams: the time-consuming nature of routine tasks that divert attention from analysis and strategic planning. By offering an intelligent layer that works continuously, the company positions itself as a key enabler for finance departments seeking to enhance accuracy, reduce operational costs, and improve overall efficiency. This move could redefine how finance professionals allocate their time and expertise.