Berlin’s WhyBrilliant Secures €1M to Revolutionize AI-Driven Recruitment

Berlin-based recruiting startup WhyBrilliant has secured a €1 million pre-seed round to scale its AI-powered hiring platform. The funding, led by Merantix Capital, will support team expansion and growth across Europe, as reported by Vestbee.

Founded in 2026 by Patrick Böert and Aleksander Heimrath, WhyBrilliant specializes in AI agents for talent sourcing and hiring. Its two-sided platform connects technology professionals with employers through a unique process: candidates complete a voice-based interview with an AI agent, which builds a profile of their experience, skills, and career objectives. The system then scans over one million open vacancies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to match candidates with suitable roles.

For employers, a separate AI agent assists in defining hiring requirements and sourcing candidates. Companies can request introductions to selected professionals, while candidates retain full control over their data and engagement with potential employers.

WhyBrilliant’s revenue model relies on success-based hiring fees from employers, with candidates using the platform free of charge. The company ensures data privacy by hosting its infrastructure in the European Union and only sharing candidate information with explicit consent.

Dr. Rasmus Rothe, co-founder and GP of Merantix Capital, highlighted the startup’s candidate-first approach: "Patrick and Aleksander built the talent side of WhyBrilliant first, in quiet conversation with real candidates for months before any announcement. That sequencing tells you how they think. We are proud to lead the pre-seed and to have them building from the Merantix AI Campus."