Cisco Invests in Gruve.ai to Accelerate Real-World AI Deployment
Cisco Systems has announced a fresh AI investment into Gruve.ai, a one-year-old startup based in Redwood City, California. The move is part of Cisco’s broader effort to empower enterprises with reliable, scalable generative AI tools.
With Gruve’s support, Cisco aims to help customers overcome "pilot purgatory" — a common hurdle where AI projects stall in early testing phases. Rather than offering traditional consulting, Gruve embeds directly with enterprise teams and manages full lifecycle AI deployments, ensuring execution aligns with business outcomes.
Part of a $1 Billion AI Bet
Cisco’s investment is part of its $1 billion AI fund launched in 2024 to foster innovation aligned with its infrastructure and security frameworks.
So far, the tech giant has funded key players such as Cohere, Scale AI, and French startup Mistral AI. In February, Cisco partnered with Mistral to create an AI agent designed to streamline product renewals internally.
Now, by adding Gruve to its investment roster, Cisco is reinforcing its focus on AI models that deliver real-world enterprise value.
Also read: Cisco Unveils AI Security Innovations and New Partnerships at RSA Conference 2025
Founders with Cisco Roots
Gruve.ai was founded in 2024 by Tarun Raisoni and Sushil Goyal, both of whom previously held senior roles at Cisco. Before launching Gruve, they co-founded Rahi Systems, an IT infrastructure company later acquired by Wesco Distribution in 2022.
Their deep experience in enterprise technology — paired with insider knowledge of Cisco’s ecosystem — positions Gruve uniquely to meet enterprise AI demands.
As Cisco continues to strengthen its AI strategy, the Gruve partnership could mark a significant step toward bridging the gap between experimentation and execution in enterprise AI.
