New Gen Raises $4.5M Seed Led by South Park Commons

New Gen has secured $4.5M in seed funding to redefine digital commerce for both human and AI shoppers. Based in San Francisco, this technology company is focused on building AI-native storefronts that cater to the evolving landscape of online retail.

Leading the funding round was South Park Commons, with additional investments from Matrix, Designer Fund, Slow Ventures, and Beat Ventures. The funds will be utilized to enhance the company's platform, which is designed to create immersive, conversational shopping experiences.

The company provides a solution that transforms traditional product catalogs into enriched, AI-readable data. Through its platform, brands can establish their own AI-powered shopping pages that cater to each visitor's unique intent. This ensures customers receive instant visual answers and can interact with AI agents seamlessly, without the constraints of rigid navigation systems.

New Gen's approach positions brands to engage effectively with both consumers and AI-driven shopping agents. As customer engagement shifts towards AI channels, shoppers are likely to arrive deeper in the sales funnel and are prepared to make larger purchases compared to those engaging through conventional retail platforms. This capability enables brands to convert AI-driven traffic directly into sales.

The company was co-founded by Adam Behrens and Jonathan Arena, both Harvard Business School alumni. Their backgrounds include significant experience in leading product and design teams at major tech firms, ensuring that New Gen is well-equipped to handle the transition towards AI-native commerce.

Jonathan Arena highlighted the fundamental change in retail by stating, "Traditional retail websites weren't designed for the conversational, AI-first future. We're solving this by creating AI-native storefronts that deliver instant answers and visual, generative experiences without forcing shoppers through rigid navigation or filters." This quote underscores the necessity for brands to adapt to the rapidly changing demands of both consumers and AI agents in the marketplace.

Company	New Gen
Round	Seed
Amount	$4.5M
Lead Investor	South Park Commons
Investors	Matrix, Designer Fund, Slow Ventures, Beat Ventures, co-founder of Pinterest, former COO of Stripe, Head of Llama at Meta
Founders	Adam Behrens, Jonathan Arena
Sectors	Commerce, Technology