Stuut, an AI-powered platform that automates invoice collections and accounts receivable work, has raised $52.5 million in Series B funding led by Insight Partners, CEO Tarek Alaruri told Axios. The platform addresses a persistent business challenge: companies continue to depend on employees and outsourcers to resolve routine invoice errors, which delays cash flow until problems are identified and corrected. The funding will support Stuut's efforts to automate these manual processes, helping businesses accelerate payment collection and reduce administrative overhead in their accounts receivable operations.

Hestus raises $7.4M seed. Hestus raises $7.4M seed round led by Insight Partners to advance its AI-powered mechanical engineering design assistant. Updated October 04, 2026 Hestus, a San Mateo-based startup developing AI tools for mechanical engineering, has raised $7.4 million in a seed round, bringing its total funding to $8.9 million. The company provides an AI-powered assistant that integrates with computer-aided design (CAD) software to automate repetitive tasks and help engineers convert design intent into manufacturable models. Investors. The round was led by Insight Partners, with participation from Chalfen Ventures, Rock Yard Ventures, and Garage Capital. Hestus use of funds. Hestus plans to use the new capital to expand its engineering team, specifically hiring machine learning engineers and software developers. The funding will also support the advancement of its AI model and accelerate the company's product development roadmap. About Hestus. Hestus was founded by Sohrab Haghighat and Kevin Chu, who previously worked together at Cruise Automation. The company focuses on creating Mechanical Intelligence that captures the judgment required for manufacturing. Its primary product is an autocomplete-style assistant designed to assist engineers within CAD environments like Autodesk Fusion by proposing geometry changes and streamlining workflow interactions. Funding details. Company: Hestus Raised: $7.4M Round: Seed Funding Date: October 2, 2026 Lead Investor: Insight Partners Additional Investors: Chalfen Ventures, Rock Yard Ventures, Garage Capital Company Website: https://hestus.com Software Category: Artificial Intelligence, Mechanical Engineering Software Source: https://www.unite.ai/hestus-raises-7-4-million-seed-to-bring-ai-into-mechanical-engineering/ Updated October 04, 2026

Hestus, a San Mateo-based startup, has raised $7.4 million in seed funding to develop AI tools for mechanical engineering. Insight Partners led the round, with participation from Chalfen Ventures, Rock Yard Ventures, Garage Capital, and others. Combined with a previous $1.5 million pre-seed round, Hestus has raised $8.9 million total. The company offers an autocomplete-style assistant that works inside Autodesk Fusion, suggesting next actions as engineers sketch. More than 5,000 engineers currently use its tools across projects including drones, robots, and industrial equipment. Hestus aims to build what it calls "Mechanical Intelligence"—a model designed to translate engineering intent into manufacturable designs. The company plans to expand its engineering team and accelerate product development. Co-founders Sohrab Haghighat and Kevin Chu previously worked at Cruise Automation, where they were among the first 10 employees.