The New Era of Shopping raises $1.4M Pre-Seed to help brands win in the age of agentic commerce

The European tech landscape is witnessing a significant shift towards agentic commerce, a paradigm where AI assistants actively participate in the shopping process. The New Era of Shopping (Era) has successfully raised $1.4 million in Pre-Seed funding, co-led by European VC firm Presto Ventures, to empower brands in this evolving market. This development underscores a growing recognition that traditional e-commerce strategies are becoming insufficient as consumer behaviour pivots towards AI-driven product discovery and purchasing. Era's platform aims to make brand products discoverable and purchasable within AI answer engines like ChatGPT and Google AI Mode, a crucial adaptation given that a notable percentage of consumers already rely on AI chatbots for purchasing advice, a figure projected to rise dramatically. The service integrates catalogue syncing, AI visibility analytics, and demand research, equipping merchants with the necessary infrastructure to navigate this new era where optimization for AI agents is paramount for online presence and sales. This transition directly impacts how businesses engage with consumers, particularly traditional e-commerce brands that may be slower to adapt compared to more tech-savvy startups. By enabling brands to be present and transact where consumers are increasingly asking to buy, Era is positioning itself to be a key enabler of European digital sovereignty in the burgeoning field of AI-powered commerce, ensuring that European businesses remain competitive in the global digital economy.