Supply Chain Compliance Platform Epoch Secures Funding to Support Small Businesses Under New Regulations

London-based supply chain intelligence platform Epoch has successfully closed a seed funding round, bringing in $4.25 million to further develop its technology aimed at helping small and mid-sized businesses navigate environmental regulations. The recent capital injection was led by Burnt Island Ventures and Sand River, elevating the total funding raised by the enterprise to $6.26 million. The organization plans to deploy the fresh capital toward expanding its core product offerings, strengthening underlying infrastructure, and growing its commercial operations team.

Automating Compliance for Raw Material Supply Chains

Founded in 2023 by Chief Executive Officer Jinal Surti and Chief Technology Officer William Ouellette, Epoch specializes in building artificial intelligence technology designed to trace raw materials back to their original sources while evaluating environmental and regulatory risks. The platform applies geospatial artificial intelligence and automated research methodologies to analyze complex supply networks, helping organizations minimize their reliance on traditional supplier questionnaires. By pinpointing supplier facilities and identifying the specific plots of land where agricultural commodities originate, the software aims to provide clear visibility into operational impacts.

The company’s latest technology rollout is specifically designed to assist smaller commercial operators in meeting stringent mandates, most notably the European Union Deforestation Regulation. Under the upcoming legislative timeline, large and medium-sized operators must comply starting December 30, 2026, with micro and small operators following on June 30, 2027. The framework requires entities placing products such as cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood on the European market to prove definitively that these commodities are legally produced and entirely deforestation-free.

Self-Service Tools and Artificial Intelligence Integration

Epoch has introduced a self-service workflow that allows smaller enterprises to input existing supplier records and leverage external artificial intelligence assistants, including Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini, to structure data and evaluate supply chain exposure. According to the enterprise, the platform can automatically compile Due Diligence Statements complete with all necessary supporting evidence for formal submission to the European Union Information System, known as TRACES.

• Enables small and mid-sized businesses to utilize existing data alongside artificial intelligence assistants for risk assessment.
• Automates the generation of regulatory paperwork and evidence packages for submission to administrative systems.
• Reduces manual administrative burdens traditionally associated with tracing raw material origins across multi-tier networks.

Investors and company leadership emphasize that visibility into local environmental conditions remains a primary operational challenge for commercial operators. Christine Partner of Burnt Island Ventures noted that companies frequently operate without clear insight into local factors such as drought, flood conditions, and overall forest health. By leveraging earth observation data and proprietary models, the platform attempts to bridge this information gap, giving businesses the tools needed for risk mitigation and regulatory alignment.