Pickmybrain raises $2.1 million to let experts monetise knowledge through AI-powered Digital Brains

The creator economy meets artificial intelligence as expert monetisation platforms attract investor attention

The convergence of artificial intelligence and the knowledge economy is opening new pathways for professionals and public figures to scale their expertise beyond the constraints of time and physical availability. As AI capabilities mature, a growing cohort of startups is building platforms that transform individual knowledge into persistent, interactive digital assets — creating what some in the industry are calling the “expert economy.”

Tallinn-based Pickmybrain has raised $2.1 million (€1.8 million) in pre-seed funding to scale its platform that enables professionals, celebrities, and domain experts to create AI-powered “Digital Brains” — personalised AI advisors trained on their specific knowledge and expertise. The round was led by a group of business angels positioning the Estonian startup to expand into new markets and deepen its product capabilities.

Angel investors back vision for AI-powered expertise at scale

The pre-seed round attracted investment from Garri Zmudze, a longevity and biotech investor who was an early backer of Insilico Medicine, alongside Raison.app and a number of non-disclosed private investors. The capital will be deployed to grow the team, scale into new geographic markets, and accelerate product development.

Pickmybrain’s platform works by training AI models on an expert’s structured knowledge — interviews, articles, books, and recorded responses — to create interactive Digital Brains that users can query for practical, domain-specific guidance. Crucially, experts retain full control over the content their AI is trained on, uploading their own media and consenting to the use of any third-party resources. For individuals with limited digital footprints, the platform provides tools to record thoughts directly, which the AI then uses as training material.

The model introduces a hybrid approach to knowledge delivery: users can ask Digital Brains questions based on an expert’s insights for immediate AI-generated responses, while more complex or sensitive queries are routed directly to the expert through asynchronous one-to-one video, creating a tiered engagement model.

From Paul Pogba to Peter Vesterbacka: building a premium expert roster

Founded in 2022, Pickmybrain has assembled a roster of more than 1,000 professionals spanning sports, entertainment, and business. Notable names on the platform include Peter Vesterbacka, the co-founder of Rovio (the studio behind Angry Birds) and founder of Slush, one of Europe’s most prominent startup events; World Cup winner Paul Pogba; and Bozoma Saint John, the former chief marketing officer at Netflix and Uber.

The calibre of these early adopters signals the platform’s positioning at the premium end of the expert economy, targeting professionals whose knowledge carries sufficient commercial value to justify the creation of a persistent digital presence. For experts, the appeal lies in the ability to monetise their expertise passively and at scale, without the scheduling constraints of traditional consulting or speaking engagements.

Estonia’s AI ecosystem continues to punch above its weight

Pickmybrain’s fundraise adds to Estonia’s growing reputation as a disproportionately productive hub for AI-focused startups. The Baltic nation, which has produced more unicorns per capita than almost any other European country, continues to attract founders building at the intersection of artificial intelligence and consumer-facing platforms. With a strong digital infrastructure and a regulatory environment that has historically encouraged technology entrepreneurship, Estonia offers a competitive base from which to scale into broader European and global markets.

As AI reshapes how knowledge is packaged, distributed, and monetised, platforms like Pickmybrain represent an emerging category that sits between the creator economy and enterprise AI — one where the value lies not in the model itself, but in the curated expertise it delivers.

Company: Pickmybrain
HQ: Tallinn, Estonia
Founded: 2022
Round: $2.1 million (€1.8 million) Pre-seed
Key Investors: Garri Zmudze, Raison.app, private angel investors
Use of Funds: Team growth, market expansion, product development
Website: pickmybrain.com