Bay Area Startup Puts Data Privacy First While Helping OEMs Scale In-Vehicle Service Offerings to Drive Additional Revenue Streams
SAN RAMON, Calif., February 19, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AiDEN Auto, a leader in privacy-first connected vehicle technology, today announced the successful close of its $4.2 million oversubscribed Seed funding round, bringing its total funding to date to $6.1 million.
AiDEN’s Seed Round was led by Nuri Venture Partners, and additional investors included Tengro Ventures, Band of Angels, Mentors Fund, Start Equity Ventures, Conxcity and Weltham Capital as well a distinguished group of veteran angel investors and family offices. AiDEN’s angel round received participation from IF Insurance as well as a number of Silicon Valley angel investors.
“We are proud to double down on our support for AiDEN Auto as they lead a transformative shift in connected vehicle technology,” said Kevin Yang, Managing Partner at Nuri Venture Partners. “Unlike others who have struggled to balance innovation with privacy, AiDEN is proving that it can be done—and done at scale. Their unwavering commitment to consumer data privacy, consent management, and transparency isn’t just unique; it’s exactly what the industry needs. We have no doubt that AiDEN will succeed where others have failed, setting a new standard for ethical and consumer-centric data sharing in the automotive space.”
Accelerating Connected Vehicle Innovation and Data Privacy
The true value of connected vehicles lies in their ability to leverage data for proactive, service-oriented solutions, turning vehicles into smart companions that actively enhance the journey. The AiDEN no-code application framework is the first and only platform that empowers OEMs to offer in-vehicle services at scale, while at the same time transforming how data is managed and shared within the connected vehicle ecosystem.
Previous models aggregate consumer data without transparency or consent, leaving individuals disconnected from decisions about how their information is used. AiDEN’s vision centers on consent management, customer control, and transparency—giving consumers the power to decide how and when their data is shared while unlocking new opportunities for automakers to deliver personalized, value-added services.
“AiDEN is leading the way in addressing one of the automotive industry’s most pressing challenges: consumer data privacy and transparency,” said Roger Lanctot. “While much of the industry remains focused on monetizing data, AiDEN is pioneering a shift toward consumer empowerment, ensuring that individuals have control over their information. AiDEN is the first to build a connected vehicle platform with data privacy and transparency at its core—there’s truly nothing else like it on the market. No other solution enables OEMs to offer such a wide range of valuable in-vehicle services at scale while maintaining the highest standards of trust and security. I’m excited to support their mission and help drive this much-needed transformation.”
Traditionally, OEMs have focused on monetizing features like heated seats or unlocking advanced cruise control—essentially charging drivers for functionality that is already built into the car. The real opportunity lies in monetizing services, not features. Connected vehicles should enhance the travel experience by leveraging data to provide personalized, proactive services that make driving more convenient, enjoyable, and stress-free. Services such as proactive charging recommendations, smart parking solutions, and destination services such as restaurant recommendations and booking a dinner reservation are a few examples. By connecting vehicles to broader ecosystems of third-party services, OEMs can offer subscriptions for premium benefits such as concierge-level assistance, travel perks, or even entertainment packages tailored to individual preferences.
“The key to unlocking the promise of connected vehicles is to deliver the multitude of services that users want and expect, with the driver’s full knowledge and consent, in the moment that the driver wants them,” said Niclas Gyllenram, CEO of AiDEN Auto. “With this latest investment, we accelerate our mission to create a privacy-first no code application framework connected vehicle ecosystem that puts consumers in the driver’s seat of their own data. Built on trust, transparency, and consumer empowerment, this is how AiDEN will power the next generation of In-Vehicle Services at scale for the first time in the history of the automotive industry.”
Strategic Growth and Key Partnerships
With partnerships that prioritize driver safety and a commitment to revolutionizing data protocols, AiDEN’s platform addresses the critical need for trust and collaboration between consumers, automakers, and service providers. By focusing on dynamic, application-level consent, AiDEN ensures that every driver can customize their data-sharing preferences in real-time, enabling a seamless and secure connected vehicle experience.
The partnership between AiDEN and HERE Technologies integrates real-time, contextual road and traffic alerts directly into vehicles. Analyzing factors like weight, speed, and road conditions, the most relevant alerts can be delivered to drivers at the right time. For example, if a vehicle is nearing its weight limit for a particular road, approaching speed thresholds, or encountering hazardous conditions, drivers receive intuitive, distraction-free alerts on their infotainment screens. The AiDEN-HERE collaboration also emphasizes privacy, with strict compliance to global data regulations like GDPR and CCPA while ensuring minimal data collection and secure processing.
“HERE Technologies is proud to partner with AiDEN Automotive to redefine the in-car experience,” said Gino Ferru, SVP and General Manager EMEA at HERE Technologies. “This partnership reflects the growing demand for connected car services that enhance convenience and safety while maintaining trust, setting a new standard for usability and data privacy in the automotive industry.”
AiDEN Auto has solidified its market position through strategic partnerships with Volvo Trucks CampX, HERE Technologies, Conxcity, MAVI, Treads, and HAAS, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing connected vehicle experiences while upholding data privacy standards.
About AiDEN Auto
AiDEN Auto is a privacy-first connected vehicle technology company. Founded in 2021 by three Volvo connected services engineers, AiDEN’s mission is to make the in-vehicle experience seamless, responsive and convenient, while at the same time creating revenue streams for both OEMs and service partners. The AiDEN platform provides simple and intuitive 100% GDPR and CCPA compliant consent management enabling car owners to choose which digital services they desire. AiDEN’s major investors include Nuri Ventures, Mentors Fund, Deephaven, Tengro Ventures, Weltham Capital, Band of Angels, Conxcity, IF Insurance, as well as a number of veteran Silicon Valley angel investors and family offices. The company is based in San Ramon, CA with offices in Sweden.
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