Tenkara
Tenkara Labs builds AI-powered operations agents that automate procurement, supplier discovery, freight, compliance, and order tracking workflows for small and mid-sized US manufacturers across food, cosmetics, chemicals, and supplements verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Tenkara does
Tenkara Labs, Inc. is a San Francisco-based software company founded in 2024 that builds AI-powered operations agents for US-based manufacturers. The platform automates supply chain and back-office workflows—including supplier discovery, procurement, freight booking, compliance documentation, credit term negotiation, and order tracking—for small and mid-sized manufacturers, particularly those in process manufacturing verticals such as food and beverage, cosmetics, chemicals, and supplements. The company was founded by Ben Stern, a former Thiel Fellow and ex-Nohbo CEO who previously built two manufacturing facilities, lending operational credibility to the product's domain targeting.
The company's technology stack centers on LLM-based agents deployed alongside RAG architectures, PostgreSQL/Supabase databases, Next.js API routes, and event-driven systems for order state management. The platform is organized around three core modules—Source and Qualify (v2.3.1), Freight (v2.5.1), and Track Orders (v2.6.1)—augmented by specialized agents including the Pricing Agent (landed cost calculation), Credit Terms Agent (payment term negotiation), Delay Detection Agent (lead-time monitoring), and Sample Request Agent (supplier coordination). Tenkara additionally operates as an FMCSA-licensed property broker, enabling it to arrange freight transportation directly within the workflow rather than depending on third-party brokerage.
Commercially, Tenkara employs a sales-led go-to-market targeting mid-market manufacturers with 120+ suppliers. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining initial integration fees, ongoing platform subscriptions billed monthly, and separate transaction-based freight brokerage fees. Within its first 18 months the company reported signing multiple seven-figure contracts across diverse verticals, and in March 2026 it closed a $7 million seed round led by True Ventures with participation from HF0, WndrCo, Articulate Capital, Night Capital, SF1, Transpose, and early Flexport employees. Headcount remains small (1–10 employees) with active hiring underway for early technical staff.
Tenkara firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tenkara
- Legal name
- Tenkara Labs, Inc.
- Website
- https://tenkara.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tenkara Labs builds AI-powered operations agents that automate procurement, supplier discovery, freight, compliance, and order tracking workflows for small and mid-sized US manufacturers across food, cosmetics, chemicals, and supplements verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tenkara industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Supply Chain Management Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF)
Keywords
Where Tenkara is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tenkara business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform Subscription: Ongoing subscription fees for platform access following an initial integration fee. Full platform access requires execution of a Master Logistics & Software License Agreement. Subscription-based model with recurring revenue from mid-market manufacturers.
- Transportation/Logistics Services: Freight brokerage services billed separately based on shipment volume, routes, and carrier rates. Transportation logistics services are separate from platform subscription fees.
- Initial Integration Fee: One-time integration fee for onboarding customers onto the platform, followed by ongoing subscription fees for platform access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Monthly | Integration + Subscription Model |
| Other | Annual | Staff Software Engineer Compensation (market reference) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tenkara product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tenkara builds an AI-powered operations platform that automates supply chain workflows for US manufacturers, including supplier discovery and qualification, procurement, compliance documentation tracking, and freight booking. The platform is augmented by autonomous AI agents that handle pricing, credit terms, delay detection, and sample requests, and the company also operates as a licensed freight broker to arrange transportation directly.
Product overview
Tenkara offers a unified AI-powered Intelligent Supply Chain Optimization Platform for US manufacturers. The core platform includes three main modules: Source and Qualify (v2.3.1) for supplier discovery and material sourcing, Freight (v2.5.1) for logistics and carrier booking, and Track Orders (v2.6.1) for real-time shipment visibility. The platform is augmented by specialized AI agents including the Pricing Agent (landed cost calculation), Credit Terms Agent (payment terms optimization), Delay Detection Agent (lead time monitoring), and Sample Request Agent (supplier coordination). Additionally, Tenkara operates as a licensed freight broker under FMCSA. Together, these components provide manufacturers with an all-in-one operations hub for materials management, supplier qualification, procurement automation, and supply chain intelligence.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Intelligent Supply Chain AI Optimization Platform Subscription-based AI platform for US manufacturers that automates supplier discovery and qualification, procurement, compliance documentation tracking, real-time order tracking, and freight booking. Customers access the platform under a Master Logistics & Software License Agreement with an initial integration fee plus recurring subscription fees.
- Freight and Logistics Brokerage Services Licensed property broker services under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that arrange freight transportation by qualified third-party carriers. Services are billed separately from the platform subscription based on shipment volume, routes, and carrier rates.
Companies that use Tenkara
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tenkara technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature10 records
Tenkara partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tenkara competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Coupa: Spend management and procurement platform now embedding AI-driven sourcing agents. Represents the enterprise incumbent that may move downmarket into Tenkara's segment.
- SAP Ariba: Largest enterprise procurement and supplier network platform. Strategic risk to Tenkara if AI-enabled offerings expand into mid-market manufacturing.
- Uber Freight: Digital freight brokerage and managed transportation platform. Overlaps Tenkara's freight module but at much larger scale and broader shipper base.
- Flexport: End-to-end digital freight forwarder and logistics platform. Comparable in freight brokerage and supply chain visibility, though serving much larger import/export shippers rather than Tenkara's mid-market factory focus.
- Coyote Logistics: Large US freight brokerage and 3PL owned by UPS. Comparable in brokered freight and carrier coordination but with much broader shipper coverage than Tenkara's integrated SaaS motion.
Direct peers
- Hypersonix: AI platform for commerce, pricing, and supply chain decisions in retail and manufacturing. Direct overlap in AI-driven demand and supply decision intelligence for operational teams.
- Keelvar: AI-powered sourcing optimization platform for procurement teams. Direct competitor in autonomous supplier sourcing and quote orchestration for mid-market and enterprise manufacturers.
- LevaData: AI-driven supply chain analytics and direct materials sourcing for manufacturers and CPG companies. Overlaps in supplier risk monitoring and should-cost modeling for process manufacturers.
- Arkestro: Predictive procurement platform using AI agents to recommend pricing and supplier choices. Closely overlaps Tenkara's Pricing Agent and Quote Orchestration capabilities for industrial buyers.
Emerging players
- Sourceful: AI platform for sustainable sourcing and supplier discovery in CPG and manufacturing. Emerging player with overlapping supplier qualification use cases for brand manufacturers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tenkara social profiles
Digital presenceTenkara compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tenkara financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tenkara leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tenkara funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tenkara M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tenkara
What does Tenkara do?
Tenkara builds an AI-powered operations platform that automates supply chain workflows for US manufacturers, including supplier discovery and qualification, procurement, compliance documentation tracking, and freight booking. The platform is augmented by autonomous AI agents that handle pricing, credit terms, delay detection, and sample requests, and the company also operates as a licensed freight broker to arrange transportation directly.
Is Tenkara a public or private company?
Tenkara is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Tenkara founded?
Tenkara was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Tenkara based?
Tenkara is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tenkara make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are transportation/Logistics Services and initial Integration Fee.
Who are Tenkara's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Coupa, SAP Ariba, Uber Freight, Flexport and Coyote Logistics. Direct peers are Hypersonix, Keelvar, LevaData and Arkestro. Sourceful is listed as an emerging player.
Does Tenkara have an API?
Yes. Tenkara builds and utilizes APIs to support their platform operations. Partner platforms may share and receive data to improve service offerings and optimize supply chain operations. Use of APIs is subject to additional terms and conditions provided separately.
What industry is Tenkara in?
Tenkara's product category is Supply Chain Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAHAF, AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services.