Keel

Keel

Customizable operations platform for modular apps

Overview

Keel creates a modular operations platform that lets businesses build custom internal tools without a full engineering effort. It offers a backend engine, API-first design, and auto-generated admin interfaces so teams can tackle specific operational problems—like inventory, scheduling, or payroll—one at a time and integrate with existing software. The platform sits between no-code tools and traditional ERP, designed for technically-minded operations professionals who want extendable, open-source software that can be customized by engineers when needed. Unlike monolithic ERP or rigid no-code solutions, Keel enables gradual, scalable customization that grows with a company. The company's goal is to help tech-enabled businesses with physical operations scale efficiently by providing flexible, maintainable internal tooling.

About Keel

Simplify's Rating
Why Keel is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Industrial & Manufacturing

Enterprise Software

Company Size

1-10

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$6M

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Founded

2022

Get referred to Keel

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Earlybird and LocalGlobe backed Keel's $6 million seed in October 2024.
  • The company is still hiring in London, signaling active product and go-to-market investment.
  • Keel's June 2026 developer portal shows ongoing product work and self-serve onboarding.

What critics are saying

  • No public customer logos or case studies confirm repeatable demand by July 2026.
  • The market already has Retool, Airtable, and ERP vendors bundling adjacent workflows.
  • If Keel cannot prove ROI quickly, ops teams return to spreadsheets and no-code tools.

What makes Keel unique

  • Benoit Machefer, Tom Frew, and Jon Bretman built Keel from Echo's scaling pain.
  • Keel's 2026 platform offers programmable ops, CLI, VSCode extension, and local console.
  • It targets modular workflows, replacing ERP rip-and-replace with one-process-at-a-time deployments.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Funding

Total Funding

$6M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

1 Rounds

Seed funding is usually the first official round after pre-seed, when a startup has a prototype or concept. It’s typically used to develop the product, test the market, and start building the team. Investors here are often angel investors or early-stage venture capitalists.
Seed Funding Comparison
Above Average

Industry standards

$3.3M
$2M
Netflix
$2.3M
Instacart
$3M
Robinhood
$6M
Keel

Company News

Tech.eu
Oct 23rd, 2024
Keel Raises $6M to bridge the gap between no-code and ERP solutions

London-based startup Keel has raised $6 million seed funding by developing a user-friendly platform for building custom operational software aimed at growing tech-enabled businesses.

Tech Funding News
Oct 23rd, 2024
Keel lands $6M to offer a middle ground between no-code tools and complex ERP systems — TFN

London-based startup Keel offers a platform designed to help businesses build custom operational software without the need for extensive engineering

UK Tech News
Oct 23rd, 2024
Planko (t/a Keel) secures £4.6 million Seed Investment from investors including Earlybird

Planko (t/a Keel) secures £4.6 million seed investment from investors including Earlybird.

Recently Posted Jobs

Sign up to get curated job recommendations

There are no jobs for Keel right now.

Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today

We update Keel's jobs every few hours, so check again soon! Browse all jobs →