Investing in Raspberry AI | Andreessen Horowitz

Fashion has become a game of speed, novelty, and the continuous reinvention of trends. In recent years, a flurry of vertically integrated brands have emerged boasting seven-day turnaround times, fueled by data science teams that analyze Google Trends, forecasting reports, and billions of social media posts. Meanwhile, the rise of “bottoms up” influencers has fundamentally changed the business model — shoppers now expect frequent product drops and immediate responsiveness to emerging trends. Together, these factors are driving an urgent need for real-time retail.

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Yet most brands are still bogged down by time-intensive, manual workflows. From hand-drawn sketches and stakeholder reviews to tech pack generation, designers and merchandisers are left juggling disparate tools and processes that simply can’t keep up with demand. We’ve long anticipated a technology shift that could unlock this bottleneck and level the playing field for all brands, from luxury to mass market. Enter generative AI. We believe gen AI can be fashion’s great equalizer, transforming raw data into design concepts in a matter of minutes — enabling more frequent product testing, faster deployment of on-trend items, and more precise inventory forecasting to improve businesses’ sustainability. 

This opportunity spans the entire fashion ecosystem, from consumer-facing apps to supply chain optimization, but we believe the biggest potential impact currently lies in the iterative design, prototyping, and merchandising phases — the heart and soul of brands. While horizontal AI image models can produce stunning visuals, they typically lack the domain-specific detail needed for apparel, accessories, and footwear design. That’s why we’re thrilled to be leading Raspberry AI’s Series A.

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Raspberry AI is an end-to-end design platform built specifically for retail product design. Using the platform, designers can gather and organize trend research, build and survey synthetic customer groups to product-test ideas, and generate real-world assets in seconds — complete with 2D technical drawings, CAD files, and product images. By developing its own in-house models and fine-tuned ControlNets, Raspberry AI ensures that every output is retail-ready, helping brands move from concept to market faster and with more precision.

This workflow transformation doesn’t just reduce time spent on rote tasks; it gives designers tools to experiment, perfect their ideas, and reach best-seller potential. Faster design cycles mean more SKUs, quicker time-to-market, and less overstock. Since its product launch last year, Raspberry AI has already become a core part of the designer workflow at leading companies such as Li & Fung and Under Armour, underscoring its potential to become the industry-standard design solution for global retailers.

We’re excited to partner with founder and CEO Cheryl Liu and her exceptional team to expand their platform. Their deep technical approach, encyclopedic fashion market knowledge, and commitment to building one of the most comprehensive AI design platforms set them apart in a rapidly evolving market. We can’t wait to see how Raspberry AI continues to redefine the fashion design process — and its downstream effects on brand innovation, inventory efficiency, and the overall shopping experience.