One good turn: Keychain raises $30M to replace legacy ERP systems with AI-powered OS

Keychain, an AI-powered marketplace for consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers, has raised $30 million in Series B funding and launched KeychainOS, an AI operating system designed to replace legacy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in manufacturing. The company, founded by former Angi CEO Oisin Hanrahan, aims to capture market share in the $81.15 billion ERP market by offering a CPG-specific alternative that can be implemented in days rather than months.

What you should know: Keychain has rapidly grown from a search-and-discovery platform to a comprehensive AI operating system serving major retailers and CPG brands.

• The company now serves more than 20,000 brands and retailers as customers, including 8 of the top 10 U.S. retailers and 7 of the top 10 CPG brands, such as 7-Eleven, Whole Foods, and General Mills.
• KeychainOS processes more than a billion dollars of search-and-discovery volume monthly, demonstrating significant market traction in just 18 months since launch.
• Wellington Management led the funding round, with participation from BoxGroup and existing investors, bringing total capital raised to $68 million.

The big picture: KeychainOS positions itself as a faster, AI-native alternative to established ERP systems like Oracle, QAD, and Plex that typically require extensive setup and customization.

• Traditional ERP systems often need months of implementation and multiple add-ons before becoming fully functional, creating market demand for streamlined alternatives.
• The global ERP market is forecast to grow from $81.15 billion in 2024 to $229.79 billion by 2032, representing a significant opportunity for disruption.

How it works: KeychainOS leverages AI to automate data entry and create adaptive manufacturing processes that respond to real-time conditions.

• The system uses natural-language interfaces and automated data ingestion to minimize manual keyboard input, addressing a common pain point with legacy systems.
• Adaptive checklists powered by AI adjust based on worker responses—for example, if operators record mixing two batches, the software automatically prompts additional required compliance steps.
• The platform is expanding toward multimodal input including computer vision, connected scales, and voice interfaces for factory floor operations.

In plain English: Instead of workers manually typing information into rigid forms, KeychainOS can understand spoken instructions and automatically capture data from connected equipment like scales and cameras. When something unusual happens—like combining two product batches—the AI immediately knows what extra safety steps are required and reminds workers to complete them.

Why this matters: The expansion addresses critical connectivity gaps between food safety, procurement, planning, and cost accounting that plague current manufacturing operations.

• Hanrahan identified this need through regular industry dinners with 80 to 200 participants, where customization difficulties with non-CPG software emerged as a consistent theme.
• The integrated approach allows food-safety audits and quality checks to be both standardized and responsive, ensuring compliance steps aren’t missed in daily operations.

What they’re saying: Industry leaders emphasize the market demand for better-integrated manufacturing software.

• “Every four to eight weeks we host industry dinners with 80 to 200 people,” Hanrahan told VentureBeat. “A constant theme is how hard it is to customize non-CPG software to run a plant, and the lack of connectivity between food safety, procurement, planning, and cost accounting.”
• “We think the moment is here to build a better AI-native ERP without the 14 dropdowns and 17 checkboxes people hate in traditional SaaS,” he said.
• Tom Hermes, Vice President of Sourcing and Product Development at Whole Foods Market, noted the tool helps his teams “identify prospective manufacturers who can meet new product development requirements.”

Competitive positioning: Keychain is betting that vertical focus and AI capabilities will differentiate it from fragmented software solutions currently used by manufacturers.

• The company offers integrated modules for compliance, planning, and traceability with cross-supply chain data sharing capabilities.
• Recent expansion into beauty and personal care demonstrates applicability beyond food and beverage categories.
• Wellington Management’s Molly Breiner praised Keychain for “combining speed and substance in its growth,” noting the company is reshaping the CPG supply chain into something more efficient and connected.