Paris-based Probabl AI closed a $13 million seed round in October 2025, positioning the startup to accelerate enterprise adoption of open-source machine learning tools.
As the official operator of scikit-learn, the world's most widely used machine learning library with over 2.2 billion cumulative downloads, Probabl is betting big on transparency and accessibility in the AI sector.
What Makes Probabl AI Different?
Probabl was founded by Yann Lechelle and core developers of scikit-learn as an INRIA spinoff.
The company tackles a critical enterprise problem: making AI development trustworthy and transparent.
Unlike proprietary black-box solutions, Probabl AI builds on scikit-learn's proven open-source foundation used by 90% of industry machine learning use cases.
Their technology powers AI operations at major enterprises including Spotify and JP Morgan.
With scikit-learn processing over 70 million downloads monthly, Probabl sits at the center of a massive developer ecosystem spanning 900,000+ repositories.
Why This Investment Signals Market Maturity?
This seed round reflects growing investor confidence in sustainable, open-source AI business models. The timing is strategic.
As AI regulatory scrutiny intensifies globally, enterprises increasingly favor transparent, auditable solutions over closed proprietary systems.
Probabl previously raised $5.5 million in convertible notes from Mozilla Ventures, Apertu Capital, and the French Tech Souveraineté Fund.
The new capital will fund expansion of enterprise support services, development of probabilistic forecasting tools, and scaling commercial operations around scikit-learn certification programs.
This deal positions Probabl as Europe's answer to AI sovereignty concerns, offering enterprises a proven alternative to dependency on US tech giants.
Probabl AI Funding Breakdown
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Amount Raised | $13 million |
| Round Type | Seed |
| Date | October 2025 |
| Previous Funding | $5.5M (Convertible Notes, Sept 2024) |
| Total Raised | $18.5 million |
| Notable Investors | Mozilla Ventures, Apertu Capital, French Tech Souveraineté Fund |
| AICurator Rating | 8.5/10 – Strong open-source moat, proven enterprise traction, regulatory tailwinds |
Key Deal Questions
Who leads this funding round?
The lead investor has not been publicly disclosed, though Mozilla Ventures and Apertu Capital participated in the previous convertible round.
What will the capital fund?
Probabl plans to expand enterprise AI support services, enhance open-source forecasting capabilities, and scale global certification programs for scikit-learn practitioners.
Why does open-source AI matter now?
Regulatory pressure for AI transparency and enterprise demand for auditable systems create strong tailwinds for open-source solutions versus proprietary alternatives.
Company Links
| Platform | URL |
|---|---|
| Website | probabl.ai |
| linkedin.com/company/probabl | |
| Twitter/X | twitter.com/ylechelle (CEO) |
| GitHub | github.com/probabl-ai |
The Path Forward for Probabl
Probabl faces execution challenges converting its massive open-source user base into paying enterprise customers.
Success depends on demonstrating clear ROI advantages over established players like DataRobot and emerging AI platforms.
The regulatory environment favors their transparent approach, but they must rapidly scale support infrastructure to meet enterprise SLA expectations.
With scikit-learn's dominant market position and growing enterprise AI spending, Probabl has a narrow window to establish itself as the commercial standard for trustworthy machine learning.
