Marloo, the AI assistant purpose-built for financial advisers, has secured $2.7 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate development and expand its global footprint. The round was co-led by Blackbird Ventures and CoVentures, alongside strategic participation from well-known investors such as Tom Hambrett, Sam Halse, Philip Fierlinger, Dr. Thomas Kelly, and Warren Hogarth.

The company was founded by Shakeel Lala and Hardy Michel, who both bring a unique blend of technical expertise and deep appreciation for the pain points in financial advice. Their vision is simple but powerful: eliminate the burden of admin so advisers can focus on client relationships.

Built for advisers, not general chatbots

Unlike broad AI assistants, Marloo is intentionally narrow in focus. The platform automates meeting notes, document creation, and client communications in the exact tone and compliance-ready format advisers need. Whether it’s joining Zoom or Teams meetings, capturing speaker transcripts, or generating follow-up review letters, Marloo integrates seamlessly into the adviser workflow without forcing teams to overhaul their existing processes.

Security is baked in. With SOC 2 Type II certification, GDPR compliance, audit trails, and regional data centers, Marloo ensures that firms can adopt AI without compromising trust or compliance obligations.

Where the edge really lies

Advisers spend hours each week writing file notes, drafting client emails, and preparing compliance documents. Marloo customers already report reclaiming several hours weekly, which translates directly into higher client capacity without hiring more staff. This ROI is what grabbed investors’ attention.

And here lies the ultra insight for founders: Marloo’s success so far is proof that choosing a hyper-specific niche beats trying to solve everything for everyone. Instead of spreading thin across multiple verticals, the team anchored themselves in one profession and designed every feature to fit that exact workflow. This gave them traction and evidence of value quickly, which made the pitch irresistible. Too many startups dilute their story by chasing broader markets too early. What Marloo demonstrates is that by showing how hours saved equals revenue gained, you become not just helpful - but indispensable.

Momentum and product traction

Marloo’s early adopters highlight how its assistant transforms meetings into instant, compliant documentation. Advisers can upload slides, PDFs, or voice notes, and the platform will generate professional-ready documents in minutes. Case studies shared by the company emphasize increased adviser capacity, improved compliance coverage, and faster turnaround times for client reviews - all key drivers of adviser growth.

The seamless integration with existing calendars and meeting platforms also ensures quick adoption. Most firms reportedly get started in under ten minutes, an adoption speed that lowers barriers to trial and accelerates enterprise-wide rollout.

Plans for growth

With the fresh $2.7M, Marloo will double down on engineering improvements, particularly in multimodal capture and advanced summarisation, while also expanding integrations with CRMs and compliance systems. Funds will also support scaling customer success teams and expanding operations from its hubs in Sydney and London to new global markets.

What it means for advisers and startups

The financial advice industry is ripe for transformation. Clients want stronger relationships, yet advisers are held back by time-consuming admin. By automating the invisible but critical layer of paperwork, Marloo positions itself as a growth multiplier for firms of every size.

And for founders, the key lesson is unmistakable: solve one critical daily pain point with precision, ensure compliance and trust, and back your story with quantifiable ROI. That’s the formula that secures not only customers but also high-caliber investors.