Nesto Raises €11M to Scale AI-Powered Workforce Management for Restaurant Groups

The Karlsruhe-based startup will use the funding from Expedition Growth Capital to expand its AI assistant NORA and accelerate product development.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 9:04am

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a set of premium, polished metal and glass objects arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic seamless background. The objects symbolize the core components of Nesto's AI-powered workforce management platform for the restaurant industry.Nesto's AI-powered platform automates complex restaurant workforce management, freeing up managers to focus on service quality.Boston Today

Nesto Software GmbH, a workforce management platform for restaurant groups, has raised €11 million in growth equity from Expedition Growth Capital. The company, founded by engineers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, manages scheduling, demand forecasting, HR workflows, and payroll preparation for over 3,000 restaurant locations across Europe. Nesto had never taken institutional funding before this round. The investment will be used to accelerate product development, expand sales and marketing, and extend NORA, Nesto's AI assistant, into a broader agent framework for restaurant back-office workflows.

Why it matters

The hospitality sector faces a complex workforce management problem, with variable demand, shifting schedules, and high administrative burdens. Nesto's platform aims to automate these tasks, freeing up managers to focus on service quality. As labor costs rise and AI adoption lags in the industry, Nesto's solution addresses a significant market opportunity.

The details

Nesto was founded in Karlsruhe by Felix Kaiser and Dr. Theodor Ackbarow, both engineers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The company built its platform and grew its customer base to over 3,000 restaurant locations without taking external funding. Expedition Growth Capital's investment thesis centers on bootstrapped European software companies that have reached €5 million or more in annual recurring revenue. The funding will be used to accelerate product development, expand sales and marketing, and extend NESTA, Nesto's AI assistant, into a broader agent framework for restaurant back-office workflows.

  • Nesto was founded in Karlsruhe in the early 2020s.
  • Expedition Growth Capital closed its third fund at $375 million in December 2025.
  • Nesto raised the €11 million growth equity round in April 2026.

The players

Nesto Software GmbH

A Karlsruhe-based workforce management platform for restaurant groups, managing scheduling, demand forecasting, HR workflows, and payroll preparation for over 3,000 restaurant locations across Europe.

Felix Kaiser

Co-Founder and CEO of Nesto, an engineer trained at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Dr. Theodor Ackbarow

Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Nesto, an engineer trained at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Expedition Growth Capital

A London and Boston-based growth equity fund that targets bootstrapped European software businesses with more than €5 million in annual recurring revenue.

Will Sheldon

The Expedition partner leading the investment in Nesto.

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What they’re saying

“Nesto is an exceptional example of a category-defining European software company that has been quietly transforming restaurant operations across Europe.”

— Will Sheldon, Expedition Partner

What’s next

Nesto plans to use the funding to accelerate product development, expand sales and marketing, and extend its AI assistant NORA into a broader agent framework for restaurant back-office workflows.

The takeaway

Nesto's AI-powered workforce management platform addresses a significant market opportunity in the hospitality industry, where labor costs are rising and AI adoption has lagged. By automating scheduling, forecasting, and administrative tasks, Nesto aims to free up restaurant managers to focus on service quality and customer experience.