• Tur.ai became one of the first portfolio companies of the recently launched Prest Tech Horizons fund
• The startup has developed a next-gen AI-powered RPA platform that enables non-technical users to automate key business processes independently
• The new investment will help Tur.ai expanding geographically, adopt a partner-driven model, enhance customer-specific platform features, and refine ROI-focused commercial strategies

In June, the famous Czech venture capital firm Presto Ventures unveiled Presto Tech Horizons, a groundbreaking EUR 150M fund in collaboration with the renowned industrial and technology powerhouse, Czechoslovak Group (CSG). This initiative marks a significant step forward in supporting tech startups with the potential to drive innovation across the region and globally.

After evaluating over 1,200 startups, the fund identified 25 promising opportunities for detailed analysis. By October, Presto Tech Horizons announced its first investments, welcoming three high-potential companies into its portfolio. Among them is Tur.ai that developed a unique tool for modernizing enterprise process automation.

The Founding Duo

Tur.ai’s co-founder and CEO Dr Ievgen Miasushkin holds a PhD in mechanical automation and a master’s degree with honors in software engineering. With over 15 years in IT consulting and creating automation solutions for large enterprises, his experience spans multiple sectors, including retail, finance, and education. He has led projects across architecture, product development, and digital transformation initiatives.

Before Tur.ai, Dr Miusushkin built and exited two businesses. The first, Clevergig.nl – an on-demand scheduling solution – was acquired by Visma in 2023. His second venture, WeAreBrain.com, is a boutique IT consultancy delivering digital and automation solutions for enterprises in retail, food, and e-commerce, including Fortune 500 clients.

Pavlo Kozhokar, Tur.ai’s second co-founder and CTO, brings 18 years of experience in enterprise software architecture and development, focusing on Microsoft technologies and with a strong background in applied mathematics. His expertise in developing decision algorithms, reinforcement learning, feedback systems, and data-driven automation solutions has enabled him to create sophisticated tools for process automation.

The two share a 15-year professional history, which laid the foundation for their collaboration in building Tur.ai. The idea emerged from the founders’ shared conviction that human potential should not be constrained by repetitive and mundane tasks. They witnessed firsthand how such tasks can stifle creativity and innovation, contributing to workplace dissatisfaction.

AI to Simplify Business Automation

‘While traditional robotic process automation (RPA) provided an initial step toward reducing repetitive work, it proved to be limited in scope, requiring specialized skills and covering only a fraction of possible processes. We recognized the growing maturity of AI – its capacity to understand context, make data-driven decisions in real time, and handle complex tasks -as a signal to create a new generation of RPA,’ Dr Miasushkin tells ITKeyMedia.

The vision for Tur.ai was to integrate AI capabilities into RPA to simplify implementation and accelerate automation solutions across enterprises. By making automation accessible to a broad range of users, including non-technical individuals, Tur.ai aims to streamline essential operational processes around customer service, employee management, and supplier relationships.

‘The journey to building Tur.ai involved overcoming several hurdles that have historically slowed the adoption of AI-driven automation. First, the AI infrastructure itself needed to mature – particularly in terms of deployment capabilities and data availability. Second, a knowledge gap persisted, with many organizations mistakenly perceiving AI automation as a potential threat to jobs, rather than as a tool for enhancing productivity and innovation. Finally, building reliable solutions that can be trusted with business-critical processes took time, and only recently has the technology earned the confidence of enterprise users,’ Dr Miasushkin recalls.

Today, Tur.ai offers a user-friendly platform for streamlining and automating essential business processes, from customer interactions to supplier management. With its intuitive interface, even non-technical users can independently implement robust automation solutions without relying on IT teams or external consultants. By leveraging next-generation RPA, Tur.ai empowers businesses to take full control of their automation, boosting efficiency and driving growth while the platform seamlessly manages the complexities behind the scenes.

The Know-How AI in Detail

Tur.ai’s AI enhances traditional RPA by adding advanced capabilities to simplify, speed up, and expand automation across business operations. These advanced capabilities are:

1. Self-service interface for business users

Tur.ai provides an intuitive interface that allows customers to connect their data sources and interact with the platform’s Process Consultant from a business perspective, without needing technical expertise. Specifically, this AI-powered interface enables users to:

• Discover business processes and translate them into automation-ready workflows,
• Suggest process improvements,
• Deliver data-driven insights about operational performance, and
• Simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios for decision-making.

With this approach, Tur.ai can reduce the delivery time for automation solutions from months to just weeks, making automation more accessible to business and operational staff. The AI handles complex process modeling, systems integration, and data connections, making advanced automation available even to non-technical users.

2. Out-of-the-Box (OOTB) AI automation for workflow orchestration

Tur.ai’s AI autonomously orchestrates workflows by dynamically executing steps based on real-time data to achieve optimal outcomes. This approach ensures efficiency across various processes, such as sales, HR, and procurement.

3. Out-of-the-Box AI for Task Execution

Tur.ai’s AI can independently execute specific tasks by leveraging pre-trained models tailored for enterprise environments. For example, it can generate B2B sales quotes, conduct RFP searches on the internet, or onboard employees and suppliers, adapting to the unique workflows of each client.

Tur.ai’s AI solutions integrate seamlessly with existing business systems, requiring no changes to the organization’s systems or data infrastructure.

Importantly, Tur.ai’s platform, including its user interface, proprietary AI capabilities for process definition, mapping, and workflow orchestration, has been fully developed in-house. The team does not outsource any product development, ensuring complete control over its technology.

‘However, Tur.ai benefits from support by Microsoft for infrastructure and foundational models. Additionally, trusted partners assist with configuration and customized enhancements for specific client needs,’ Dr Miasushkin admits.

Heading the Coming New Wave of Automation Adoption

According to the Tur.ai team’s data, automation adoption across enterprises stands at less than 10% today, but projections from McKinsey indicate a sevenfold increase by 2027. This growth is expected to be fueled by advancements in AI infrastructure, evolving perceptions around AI’s role in the workforce, and increasing trust in AI solutions. With this anticipation in mind, Tur.ai’s founders took a shot at delivering a platform that enables enterprises to shift from using automation as a tactical tool to positioning it as a core element of their competitiveness and innovation strategies.

‘Incumbents in the field, such as UiPath or BluePrism, automate repetitive back-office tasks like data entry, but lack adaptability. On the other side of the spectrum, ML and NLP-enabled tools with no-code UI, such as Zapier or Make, use machine learning to handle unstructured data and allow for automation without the integrator, but still struggle with complex, contextual tasks. Tur.ai sits in the sweet spot on this matrix, taking the best from both worlds and riding a third wave of automation, powered by AI and large language models. This enables hyper-automation of complex, unstructured tasks, e.g. document processing, customer communication, and inventory management, – all within one process,’ Presto Ventures partner Vojta Roček points out.

‘We see Tur.ai as great technology for optimizing production and operations in industrial facilities and a great investment opportunity for Presto Tech Horizons’ investors. In this case the applicability within the CSG group is limited but if CSG helps by implementing some projects in its products, it is a welcome bonus,’ Czechoslovak Group’s spokesman Andrej Čírtek comments.

To Finetune the Service andReach Out to a Wider Clientele

With the new Seed investment of USD 1.45M, Tur.ai sets out to accelerate its growth by pursuing several strategic initiatives aligned with the industry’s shift toward greater cost efficiency, accessibility, and rapid scalability.

Primarily, the funding will support geographic expansion and the establishment of a partner-led distribution model, allowing the service to reach more clients across industries. Additionally, the startup plans to enhance its platform by tailoring it further to customer-specific needs in such critical areas as customer operations, employee management, and supplier relations. Another focus will be refining transparent, output-focused commercial models that emphasize tangible automation outcomes and deliver clear, quick ROI for clients.

By positioning itself as a top provider of AI-driven, end-to-end automation solutions, Tur.ai aims to drive the next wave of enterprise transformation, empowering organizations to harness AI across their operations efficiently and effectively.