Cortea, a Berlin-based startup developing AI tools for the audit industry, has raised €12M in a seed round led by Dawn Capital, with participation from Cherry Ventures, Mosaic Ventures, and angel investors including Larry Bradley, former Global Head of Audit at KPMG.
Alongside the funding, the company launched its first Audit Quality Agents, AI-powered tools built to help audit firms improve audit quality while handling greater volumes of work. The capital will support product development and commercial expansion across Europe, the UK, and the United States.
Addressing The Market Opportunity
Audit firms are facing pressure from two directions: rising demand for audit services and increasing scrutiny around quality and consistency. AI offers a way to scale capacity, but introducing it into a regulated, trust-dependent profession creates its own challenges around accuracy, oversight, and compliance with professional standards.
Cortea was founded on the premise that audit firms need tools built specifically around how audits work, rather than generic AI applied to a regulated context.
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How The Technology Works
Cortea’s platform ensures that AI-generated audit work follows professional standards and can be reviewed and verified by auditors. Its Audit Quality Agents are built around auditing rules and established review processes, enabling firms to produce more consistent, higher-quality output while increasing the volume of audits their teams can manage.
The company’s approach centers on combining the efficiency gains of AI with the rigor and oversight requirements the profession demands, giving firms a structured path to AI adoption without compromising on quality or professional accountability.
Growth And Market Traction
Founded in 2024 by Valentin Neumann and Philipp Hövelmann, Cortea has moved quickly from formation to commercial deployment. The company currently serves audit firms across Europe, the UK, and the United States. The participation of Larry Bradley, former Global Head of Audit at KPMG, as an angel investor reflects early validation from the profession’s senior leadership.
Looking Ahead
Valentin Neumann, co-founder and CEO of Cortea, described the scale of change coming to the profession: “The audit profession is about to undergo one of the biggest shifts in its history. AI will transform how audits are executed, but it will also raise the bar for quality, consistency, and professional oversight. Every audit firm is exploring how AI can improve the way audits are performed. The firms that succeed will be those that can combine the efficiency of AI with the rigour and trust that the profession demands. Our mission is simple: help audit firms use AI with confidence.”
Dan Chaplin, Partner at Dawn Capital, commented on the investment: “Now is the time to change the operating model for audit delivery. The team at Cortea have been determined to build a solution that works with auditors and for auditors. We believe they will be at the forefront of this transformation, helping their partners not only to meet demand and scale capacity, but to improve quality at every step. We are delighted to be backing them.”
About Cortea
Cortea is a Berlin-based AI company founded in 2024 by Valentin Neumann and Philipp Hövelmann. The company develops AI tools that help audit firms adopt artificial intelligence in a safer, more accurate, and more consistent way. Its Audit Quality Agents are built around professional auditing standards and review processes, enabling firms to improve audit quality while scaling their capacity. Cortea serves audit firms across Europe, the UK, and the United States.
