Bench IQ, a rapidly growing AI-based judicial intelligence platform used by top-tier law firms, announced the closing of a $5.3 million seed funding round. The round was led by Battery Ventures and Inovia Capital, with additional participation from CIBC Innovation Banking, MVP Ventures, Maple VC, and Haystack VC.
The funding will support Bench IQ’s continued expansion across North America, with a focus on growing its proprietary judicial dataset, advancing its AI agents, and scaling its team in both the U.S. and Canada.
Bench IQ is redefining how litigators prepare for court by offering deep insights into how individual judges think and rule. The platform is already trusted by leading AmLaw 200 firms—including four of the top five—to tailor arguments and strategies based on judicial behavior. In high-stakes litigation, where outcomes often hinge on anticipating a judge’s perspective, Bench IQ provides a strategic edge.
While only 3% of U.S. rulings are accompanied by written opinions, Bench IQ has built a proprietary dataset that captures the reasoning behind the remaining 97%—a blind spot for traditional case law platforms. Its AI agents analyze this data to uncover patterns in judicial decision-making, offering attorneys actionable insights that can influence everything from motion strategy to settlement posture.
Bench IQ’s capabilities extend across practice areas. In bankruptcy auctions, the platform can identify when and why a judge has approved above-market deal protections, helping attorneys craft winning proposals. In patent litigation, prior rulings on licensing evidence admissibility can surface, guiding teams to shape arguments that optimize damage awards.
Founded in 2023, Bench IQ is helmed by CEO Jimoh Ovbiagele, ABA Legal Rebel, and Y Combinator alumnus. He previously co-founded ROSS Intelligence, a pioneering legal AI company. CTO Maxim Isakov, ROSS’s founding engineer, brings deep technical expertise, while CCO Gettleman, a former Kirkland & Ellis partner, contributes 17 years of experience in complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy litigation.
With a founding team that blends legal acumen and AI innovation, Bench IQ is prepared to become the go-to platform for judicial intelligence in litigation strategy.
KEY QUOTES:
“As AI reshapes law, much of the conversation has focused on first-order gains from automating existing work. The deeper unlock is AI’s ability to enable work that was previously impossible. With Bench IQ, litigators gain judicial intelligence—the ability to understand how presiding judges think, enabling them to craft smarter strategies and deliver better results clients will pay for.”
Jimoh Ovbiagele, co-founder and CEO of Bench IQ and a repeat legal tech entrepreneur
“Bench IQ is transformative because we give litigators judicial intelligence that was once impossible to gather. In my 17 years representing clients in complex Chapter 11 cases—including United Airlines’ $23 billion restructuring—I learned one fundamental truth: The judge is the single most important stakeholder in any legal proceeding. When billions are on the line, every nuance in judicial philosophy matters. Understanding how that judge thinks can determine success or failure.”
Jeffrey Gettleman, co-founder and CCO of Bench IQ
“In a market where many legal AI tools focus on saving time or rely on commoditized data, Bench IQ stands apart. Users tell us the platform doesn’t just help—it transforms how they prepare for high-stakes moments in court. By applying deep domain expertise in legal tech, the company’s distinct approach gives litigators a sharper view of the landscape before making critical moves. We’re proud to back Jimoh and his team.”
Brandon Gleklen, principal at Battery Ventures
“We’ve known Jimoh and Maxim since their ROSS Intelligence days, and with Jeffrey’s legal expertise, they bring a rare mix of technical and industry insight. Supported by a world-class team from Google, Amazon, Tesla, Meta, Airbnb, Instacart and others, they’ve shaped a vision for Bench IQ that’s already earning outstanding customer feedback. We’re excited to support them in building an iconic legal AI company.”
Karamdeep Nijjar, partner at Inovia Capital
