Cavela founder Anthony Sardain via TechCrunchSan Francisco-based AI-powered sourcing startup Cavela has raised $6.6 million in seed funding from a round led by XYZ Venture Capital and Susa Ventures, with support from Crossover Capital, TechCrunch reported.
Founded in 2023 by Anthony Sardain, Cavela helps brands automate the complex process of finding and negotiating with manufacturers across the globe. The raise comes amid growing concern over tariff-induced cost pressures for companies relying on China-based manufacturing.
Speaking of the development, Sardain said, “You don’t just walk into Vietnam and build up a supply chain. A lot of brands find one supplier, and they hang on for the rest of their life, because they really don’t want to lose it.” This challenge is particularly common among smaller firms without mature sourcing teams.
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Cavela uses AI agents that act like virtual procurement teams. Brands upload product specs, blueprints, sketches, and images, and the agents analyze the information before engaging factories across more than 40 countries.
“Making products involves a lot of text data, image data, diagrams, sketches, photos. This is the kind of data that didn’t play nice with technology up until AI,” Sardain explained.
The AI agents then communicate with manufacturers via WhatsApp, email, or text to gather quotes on capacity, lead times, and pricing.
“They log in a couple of days later, and there are quotes in their inbox,” Sardain noted.
On average, Cavela reports customers are saving 35% on production costs – in some cases bringing pricing below pre-tariff levels.
Sardain added, “If you get 100 quotes, you’re going to, by chance, land on a much lower price, and you’re also going to get a much better supplier in the process.”
Early clients such as Western Welder Outfitting and The Longhairs have already reported significant improvements, with more competitive quotes and faster sourcing cycles.
Sardain’s background in Asian manufacturing hubs – Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and China, along with his family’s three-generation involvement in global trade, informs Cavela’s approach to supply-chain modernization.
Cavela operates in a competitive sourcing market that includes giants like Alibaba and newer AI-driven platforms such as Pietra. Its core differentiator is fully autonomous AI agents that manage the sourcing workflow end-to-end.
At a time when brands face growing tariff pressures and supply chain uncertainty, Cavela aims to democratize access to global manufacturing, especially for e-commerce businesses trying to manage rising costs.
Cavela’s funding round reflects a critical shift. Brands are investing not only in digital marketing and logistics, but also in AI-native supply-chain operations to rebuild margins in a volatile global trade environment.
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