Big Tech companies face a new challenger from the Nordics that wants to change how we use artificial intelligence. NobodyWho has secured €2 million to shift AI from massive clouds to local devices. This move promises better privacy and a massive drop in energy use.
The Copenhagen startup is betting big on small language models. Their technology allows powerful AI to run directly on laptops and smartphones without needing the internet.
A new approach to challenging giants
The current AI market is dominated by a few massive companies in the US and China. These tech giants rely on huge cloud servers to process data.
NobodyWho wants to break this cycle.
The startup raised €2 million in a pre-seed funding round led by PSV Tech and The Footprint Firm. Norrsken Evolve also joined the round to support this European alternative.
Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm leads the company as founder and CEO. She is an award-winning artist and entrepreneur with years of experience in interactive technology.
She believes the future belongs to efficient tools rather than massive ones.
cecilie waagner falkenstrom nobodywho small language model ai startup
“The future of AI won’t be won by size, but by decentralised models that anyone can run on their own devices.”
Her team includes co-founder and CTO Asbjørn Olling. They have spent nearly a decade refining local technologies. Their past work includes projects for the UN and experiments on the International Space Station.
Why local data keeps secrets safe
Privacy is the biggest selling point for running AI locally.
When you use a standard chatbot, your data travels to a server owned by a third party. This creates security risks and potential privacy leaks.
NobodyWho removes this risk entirely. Their engine allows data to stay on your device.
Key benefits of local processing:
- Total Control: No data ever leaves your phone or computer.
- Zero Lock-in: You are not tied to a single cloud provider.
- Offline Access: The AI works perfectly without an internet connection.
- Lower Cost: Users provide their own hardware so there is no cloud bill.
This approach solves a major problem for European companies. They often struggle with strict data laws like GDPR when using American cloud tools.
Now they can deploy smart assistants or customer support bots without legal headaches.
Cutting carbon costs in computing
The environmental cost of modern AI is alarming.
Training and running massive models consumes vast amounts of electricity and water. This is becoming a crisis for the tech industry.
NobodyWho offers a greener alternative. By shrinking models and running them locally, they drastically reduce energy consumption.
The startup reports impressive efficiency gains:
- 100x lower carbon footprint for training models.
- 500x lower carbon footprint for running inferences.
Sofie Käll is the CIO at The Footprint Firm. She sees this as a vital step for the climate.
“This is a transformative climate-tech opportunity in one of the fastest-growing emissions categories,” Käll stated.
This efficiency allows the company to align with European values of sustainability. It proves that smart technology does not have to destroy the planet.
Empowering developers with open code
The startup is committed to open-source software.
They use the European Public License 1.2 to ensure freedom for developers. This allows anyone to build commercial products using their engine.
Current ecosystem stats:
- 5,000+ active developers on GitHub.
- 10,000+ compatible open-source models.
- Python support recently launched.
Most developers are not machine learning experts. NobodyWho solves this by making integration simple.
Waagner Falkenstrøm says an app developer should run a local model with just two lines of code.
“You shouldn’t need a PhD in machine learning to ship AI,” she explains.
The company makes money through fine-tuning services.
Companies can pay NobodyWho to customize models for their specific needs. This is cheaper than managing servers themselves.
Once the model is tuned, it can be sent to millions of users at no extra cost.
This creates a fair system where the core tech remains free while specialized services drive revenue.
NobodyWho proves that Europe can compete by focusing on privacy, green energy, and smart engineering.
This funding round marks a turning point for the startup. They are now moving from experiments to helping companies build real products.
It is a bold step toward a future where we own our AI.
Do you think local AI is safer than cloud AI? Share your thoughts in the comments below using #LocalAI and let us know if you would switch to a private model.
