Besso Raises €4.29M to Turn Trade Regulations Into Supply Chain Savings

Swiss technology company Besso has secured €4.29 million in new funding to help international businesses identify cost-saving opportunities and manage the growing complexity of cross-border trade. The Bern-based startup is developing an AI-powered platform that connects trade regulations with the day-to-day decisions companies make about sourcing, suppliers and international shipments.

Led by Philip Sieber-Gasser, Besso brings together trade law expertise and artificial intelligence to address a challenge faced by companies operating across multiple markets. Although free trade agreements can reduce or eliminate import duties on eligible goods, businesses often struggle to determine which provisions apply to their products and how to demonstrate eligibility.

Besso converts complex legal documents, tariff schedules and regulatory requirements into structured intelligence that companies can use in their supply chain operations. Its system analyses trade agreements alongside product and supplier information to identify preferential tariff rates, highlight compliance risks and uncover savings that may otherwise go unnoticed.

The platform covers more than 700 trade agreements and incorporates relevant domestic regulations. Rather than relying solely on automated interpretation, Besso combines machine learning with specialist trade law knowledge and human review. Its findings can also be traced back to the underlying legal provisions, helping businesses understand the reasoning behind recommendations.

The opportunity extends beyond reducing paperwork. Companies can use regulatory intelligence to evaluate alternative sourcing arrangements, compare supply chain configurations and assess the tariff implications of moving production between countries. Besso says this approach can help businesses make more informed commercial decisions while reducing the risk of incorrect customs declarations or missed duty exemptions.

The company has reported working with major international businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, and says its platform has helped identify substantial potential savings across global supply chains. Its technology is designed to integrate with existing enterprise resource planning and supply chain systems, allowing companies to analyse their trade flows using operational data they already maintain.

The latest investment will support Besso's commercial expansion and continued development of its AI-powered regulatory intelligence capabilities. The company is targeting businesses with complex international supply chains, particularly in sectors such as food and beverages, consumer goods and manufacturing, where tariff costs and sourcing decisions can have a significant effect on margins.

As trade policies shift and geopolitical tensions reshape international commerce, Besso is positioning regulatory intelligence as a practical business tool rather than simply a compliance function. Its goal is to help companies respond to changing rules while uncovering financial opportunities hidden within the complexity of global trade.