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Ryan Williams launches AI startup Ellis AI with $10M seed funding

Created at 31 Jul · 12:31 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Ryan Williams, co-founder of the real estate platform Cadre, has launched Ellis AI, a startup focused on using AI agents to streamline workflows for private credit managers. The company announced $10 million in seed funding from investors including First Round Capital and Khosla Ventures.

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Key Numbers

$10 millionseed funding for Ellis AI
2014year Cadre was founded
$160 millionfunding raised by Cadre
$800 millionpeak valuation of Cadre
2024year Cadre was sold

Who's Involved

Ellis AI
AI startup for private credit managers
Ryan Williams
Founder of Ellis AI and co-creator of Cadre
First Round Capital
Investor in Ellis AI
645 Ventures
Investor in Ellis AI
Harlem Capital
Investor in Ellis AI
Khosla Ventures
Investor in Ellis AI
Thrive Capital
Investor in Ellis AI
Slow Capital
Investor in Ellis AI
Mellody Hobson
Ariel Alternatives CEO and investor
Josh Kushner
Co-creator of Cadre
Jared Kushner
Co-creator of Cadre
Yieldstreet
Acquired Cadre in 2024
Ryan Williams launches AI startup Ellis AI with $10M seed funding

↳ Why This Matters

The launch of Ellis AI addresses a critical operational bottleneck in the rapidly growing private credit market, potentially improving efficiency and decision-making for fund managers through AI-driven automation.

Key facts

  • Ellis AI has emerged from stealth with $10 million in seed funding.
  • The startup uses AI agents to manage workflows for private credit managers.
  • Founder Ryan Williams previously co-created the real estate investment platform Cadre.
  • Investors include First Round Capital, 645 Ventures, and Khosla Ventures.
  • Ellis AI aims to centralize scattered software and documents for private credit firms.

Ellis AI, a new startup aiming to streamline operations for private credit managers, announced its emergence from stealth with $10 million in seed funding. The company utilizes AI agents to manage fragmented workflows, including document handling, spreadsheet management, and correspondence.

Founded by Ryan Williams, who previously co-created the real estate investment platform Cadre, Ellis AI seeks to centralize disparate software, accounting information, and documents into a single, accessible platform. The system is designed to flag data discrepancies and assist with tasks such as portfolio monitoring and report preparation.

Williams stated that Ellis AI connects to existing systems rather than requiring a complete overhaul. He emphasized that while AI agents will handle many tasks, human oversight remains crucial for material decisions, with the goal of augmenting, not replacing, human judgment.

Notable investors in the seed round include First Round Capital, 645 Ventures, Harlem Capital, Khosla Ventures, Thrive Capital, Slow Capital, and Ariel Alternatives CEO Mellody Hobson. Cadre, Williams' previous venture, raised over $160 million and was valued at $800 million before its acquisition by Yieldstreet in 2024.

Frequently asked questions

Ellis AI uses AI agents to manage documents, spreadsheets, and correspondence for private credit managers, aiming to centralize scattered software and data into one platform.

Ellis AI was founded by Ryan Williams, who also co-created the real estate investment platform Cadre.

Ellis AI raised $10 million in seed funding.

The system keeps a human in the loop for material decisions and actions, with the goal of helping people make educated decisions faster rather than replacing human judgment.

What Happens Next

01Ellis AI will focus on connecting to existing systems used by private credit firms.
02The company will continue to develop its AI agents for tasks like portfolio monitoring and reporting.

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Cadence

How It Developed

Ellis AI announced its emergence from stealth with $10 million in seed funding.
The company was founded by Ryan Williams, co-creator of the real estate platform Cadre.
Ellis AI uses AI agents to manage documents, spreadsheets, and correspondence for private credit managers.
The platform aims to connect and centralize scattered software, accounting information, and documents into one accessible system.
Ellis AI keeps a human in the loop for material decisions and actions.

Sources

T1
Repeat founder Ryan Williams raises $10M seed for an AI startup for private credit managersTechCrunch

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