Browser Use, the tool making it easier for AI ‘agents’ to navigate websites, raises $17M

Tech Crunch - Mar 23rd, 2025
Open on Tech Crunch

Browser Use, a startup focused on making websites more accessible to AI agents, has raised a $17 million seed funding round led by Felicis’ Astasia Myers. The funding, which has not been previously reported, also saw participation from Paul Graham, A Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners. Founded by Magnus Müller and Gregor Zunic, the company has gained significant attention for its solution that converts website elements into a 'text-like' format, enabling better navigation and decision-making by AI agents. This innovation has attracted more than 20 companies from Y Combinator’s 2025 winter batch to utilize their tool.

The company emerged from ETH Zurich’s Student Project House accelerator, where Müller and Zunic combined their expertise in web scraping and data science. Their open-source-first approach and rapid development of a demo propelled Browser Use into the spotlight, especially with its application in Chinese startup Butterfly Effect's Manus tool. The solution addresses the challenges AI agents face with vision-based systems by offering a cheaper and more reliable method for task automation on dynamic websites. This positions Browser Use as a potential foundational technology for the evolving AI agent landscape, with Myers of Felicis highlighting the company's strategic fit for expanding their AI portfolio.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article provides a comprehensive overview of Browser Use, highlighting its recent funding success and technological innovations. It effectively captures the interest of readers interested in technology and investment by focusing on the company's achievements and market potential. However, the article could benefit from a more balanced perspective by including viewpoints from independent experts and addressing potential challenges or controversies in the AI agent space. While the story is timely and relevant, it could enhance its impact by exploring the broader societal implications of AI technologies. Overall, the article is well-written and informative, but it could improve by offering a more nuanced analysis of the topic.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article presents several factual claims that are generally verifiable, such as Browser Use raising $17 million in a seed funding round and its participation in Y Combinator’s 2025 winter batch. These claims are supported by specific details, including the names of investors and the founders' backgrounds. However, certain areas, like the exact timeline of development and the technical specifics of how Browser Use operates, would benefit from additional verification. The article accurately reports the involvement of Felicis and other investors, but it lacks detailed terms of the investment, such as valuation or equity stakes. Overall, while the core facts appear to be accurate, the story could improve by providing more precise details and corroborating evidence.

6
Balance

The article primarily focuses on the positive aspects of Browser Use, emphasizing its funding success and potential market impact. It does not extensively explore potential challenges or criticisms, such as competition in the AI agent space or technical limitations. The perspectives of the founders and investors are well-represented, but the article could benefit from including viewpoints from independent experts or potential users. This would provide a more balanced view of the company's prospects and the broader AI landscape. The lack of diverse perspectives may lead to an impression of favoritism towards Browser Use and its stakeholders.

8
Clarity

The article is generally well-written, with a clear and logical structure that guides the reader through Browser Use's story. The language is accessible, making complex topics like AI and web scraping understandable to a general audience. The use of direct quotes from the founders and investors adds clarity to the narrative. However, some technical aspects, such as how Browser Use's technology differs from vision-based systems, could be explained more thoroughly. Overall, the article is clear and easy to follow, but it could enhance comprehension by elaborating on certain technical elements.

7
Source quality

The article cites credible sources, including statements from Browser Use's founders and investors, which adds to its reliability. The involvement of reputable investors like Felicis and participation in Y Combinator lend authority to the claims. However, the article relies heavily on information from the company itself and its investors, which could introduce a bias. Including insights from independent industry analysts or competitors would enhance the credibility and depth of the reporting. Overall, the sources used are reliable, but the article would benefit from a broader range of perspectives to ensure a well-rounded narrative.

6
Transparency

The article provides a clear overview of Browser Use's funding and development background, but it lacks transparency in certain areas. For instance, it does not disclose potential conflicts of interest, such as any prior relationships between the investors and the founders. Additionally, the methodology behind Browser Use's technology is not thoroughly explained, leaving readers with questions about how it functions compared to existing solutions. While the article is transparent about the company's achievements, it could improve by offering more context on the competitive landscape and the specific challenges Browser Use might face.

Sources

  1. https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/12/browser-use-one-of-the-tools-powering-manus-is-also-going-viral/
  2. https://beamstart.com/news/barack-obama-joins-bluesky-17427438181644
  3. https://www.browse.ai
  4. https://beamstart.com/news/apple-iphone-17-major-new-17427425828359
  5. https://axiom.ai