Pillar, a platform that automates financial risk management for businesses in commodities like metals and food, has raised $20 million in its seed round. Led by Andreessen Horowitz and including notable investors such as Uber’s Dara Khosrowshahi, Pillar is set to make hedging accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Founded in 2023 by Harsha Ramesh (CEO) and Chinmay Deshpande (CTO), the platform uses AI to ingest data from contracts, cash flows, inventories, and even WhatsApp messages. It builds a hedge portfolio, adjusting positions automatically based on market conditions, volatility, and client risk tolerance.

Pillar’s clients include Shibuya Sakura Industries, Sigma Recycling, and United Metal Solutions Group. For Ramesh, who previously managed large derivative trading books at global companies, this venture aims to democratise hedging tools for businesses that drive global trade. “Risk management was treated as a luxury,” he noted, “despite being essential.”

Pillar hopes to make hedging as ubiquitous as accounting software, while still retaining human oversight in complex situations.