The race to develop AI “agents” capable of handling complex online tasks is heating up. Among the emerging players, Browser Use has caught attention with its innovative tool designed to make websites easier for AI agents to interpret and navigate. Now, the company has secured an impressive $17 million seed funding round to further its mission.
Leading the investment is Felicis’ Astasia Myers, joined by notable backers like Paul Graham, A Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners. This funding marks a significant milestone for the startup as it looks to expand its reach and capabilities.
Founded just last year, Browser Use emerged from ETH Zurich’s Student Project House accelerator, where co-founders Magnus Müller and Gregor Zunic transformed a simple idea into a powerful tool. Both data science graduates, Müller and Zunic recognized a growing need: AI agents struggle to understand complex website layouts. Instead of relying on screen-scraping and brittle visual systems, they created a solution that simplifies web pages into structured, easy-to-read formats tailored for AI agents.
In just five weeks, the team built their first demo and quickly open-sourced the project — a decision that sparked rapid adoption. Their approach effectively breaks down web elements like buttons, forms, and links into digestible, text-based representations. This allows AI agents to analyze options, make decisions, and execute tasks without getting tripped up by changing site designs or visual noise.
“Many AI agents rely on screenshots and vision-based systems to navigate websites, but that method is fragile and prone to errors,” explained Müller. “Our tool translates web pages into a format agents truly understand. As a result, agents can repeat tasks reliably at a lower cost.”
One standout moment for the startup came when Chinese firm Butterfly Effect integrated Browser Use into its viral Manus tool, propelling the company into the spotlight. This exposure, coupled with Browser Use’s inclusion in Y Combinator’s 2025 Winter batch, has amplified its presence across the AI community.
According to Müller, the demand is surging. Over 20 startups in the same accelerator batch are already leveraging Browser Use to power their own AI-driven solutions. Companies are even reaching out proactively, asking how they can optimize their websites to be more AI-agent-friendly.
Websites with frequently changing structures — like social platforms — often trip up AI agents. “Platforms such as LinkedIn constantly tweak their layouts, making it tough for agents to keep up,” Müller shared. “Our tool offers a stable layer that ensures agents operate smoothly, regardless of these changes.”
For Felicis, the investment reflects growing confidence in the AI agent sector. Myers noted that their team had been monitoring the space for years and saw Browser Use as a promising addition to their portfolio. The startup’s open-source-first philosophy and strong founding team helped solidify the deal.
“We believe web AI agents represent the next evolution in automating human tasks,” Myers said. “They serve as a dynamic bridge, connecting static, pre-trained models to an ever-changing digital environment.”
With this fresh funding, Browser Use plans to scale development, grow its team, and further refine its platform — all while continuing to empower AI agents to navigate the web smarter and faster.
