Sterling
About Sterling
Sterling is a SaaS startup based in Wellington, New Zealand that has raised $2.3M in venture capital across 1 funding round since 2025. The company reached Seed stage in August 2026 with a $2.3M round led by Blackbird. Sterling's investor base includes 3 institutional funds, with Blackbird leading the most recent equity round.
Sterling is an AI autopilot for finance and accounting teams that autonomously executes routine, time-consuming tasks rather than acting as a conversational chatbot. The platform plugs into existing systems — ERPs, accounts inboxes, Xero, HubSpot, and HR platforms — and handles invoice processing, bank feed reconciliation, month-end routines, payroll reconciliation, and financial reporting while keeping an audit log of every action and escalating ambiguous cases for human review. By August 2026 the platform had already completed approximately 1,200 hours of finance work for customers, including New Zealand firms Manukora, Storypark, and Sharesies. Sterling is SOC 2 Type II certified and targets expansion from New Zealand and Australia into the United States. Founded in 2025 by Nik Wakelin (ex-Deliveroo engineer) and Ludwig Wendzich (ex-Vend, ex-Apple), the company raised NZD $3.8 million in Seed funding led by Blackbird Ventures.
Sterling Funding Rounds Timeline
1 rounds · $2.3M raised · since 2025
| Round | Date | Amount | Valuation | Lead investor | Co-investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | August 2026 | $2.3M | — | Blackbird | Rowan Simpson, Eliot Crowther |
Investors in Sterling
3 institutional investors across 1 rounds
Lead investors
Co-investors
Recent news about Sterling
Questions about Sterling
How much has Sterling raised?
Sterling has raised $2.3M across 1 funding round since 2025.
Who are the investors of Sterling?
Sterling's investors include Blackbird, Rowan Simpson, Eliot Crowther.
When was Sterling's last funding round?
Sterling's most recent round was a $2.3M Seed in August 2026, led by Blackbird.
Where is Sterling headquartered?
Sterling is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, and was founded in 2025 by Nik Wakelin, Ludwig Wendzich.