“The next generation of online shopping may look less like a website and more like a live show powered by artificial intelligence.”
A London startup is betting that the future of e-commerce will be built around live auctions, creator-driven selling, and artificial intelligence. The company, called Tilt, has raised $26 million in fresh funding as it looks to challenge established players such as TikTok Shop and eBay Live in the rapidly growing live-commerce market.
Founded in 2021 by former Revolut employees Abhi Thanendran and Neil Shah, Tilt is building a platform where users can buy and sell products through livestream auctions. The experience is designed to feel familiar to anyone who has spent time scrolling through TikTok videos, combining entertainment with real-time shopping.
On the platform, sellers broadcast live while showcasing products ranging from fashion items to collectibles and trading cards. Viewers can bid on products instantly and complete purchases during the livestream itself. The model has often been described as a modern version of television shopping channels, adapted for a social-media generation.
What makes Tilt different is its heavy use of artificial intelligence. The startup says AI is embedded throughout the entire selling process. One of its most notable tools is called Snap. Instead of requiring sellers to manually create listings, the feature can identify products held up to a smartphone camera, automatically generate descriptions, and even suggest pricing within seconds.
According to CEO Abhi Thanendran, the goal is to remove many of the barriers that make online selling difficult.“Live commerce is very hard on the seller,” Thanendran said. “With the AI technology, we can actually take away a lot of those problems.”
The company has also developed an AI-powered copilot that acts like a virtual coach during livestreams. The tool provides real-time suggestions to help sellers improve engagement and run more effective auctions. Buyers are also supported through AI-powered search tools designed to help them discover products across multiple live sessions.
Artificial intelligence is even being used after the livestream ends. Tilt automatically generates short promotional clips that sellers can share on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts to attract more viewers and grow their audience. The startup believes this approach can help ordinary users become successful online sellers without needing advanced technical skills, marketing expertise, or large social media followings.
“A big part of Tilt is we want to help anybody start from nothing and become superstars,” Thanendran said. The fresh funding round was led by TQ Ventures, with participation from Vinted Ventures and existing investors including Balderton Capital, Earlybird, and Seedcamp. The latest investment brings the company’s total funding to approximately $50 million.
The new capital will be used to expand AI development, grow the team, improve product discovery features, and accelerate expansion across Europe and the United States. The opportunity is significant.
Live commerce has become one of the fastest-growing segments of e-commerce globally, particularly in Asia, where livestream shopping generates billions of dollars in sales each year. Western markets are now beginning to embrace the trend, attracting startups and major technology companies eager to capture a share of the market.
That growing demand has created intense competition. TikTok Shop continues expanding its social-commerce ecosystem, while eBay Live is pushing deeper into livestream auctions. Other platforms are also experimenting with ways to blend entertainment, community engagement, and online shopping.
Tilt believes artificial intelligence can provide the edge needed to stand out. Rather than simply offering another marketplace, the company is positioning itself as an AI-powered assistant for sellers and buyers alike.
The strategy reflects a broader shift happening across the technology industry. Artificial intelligence is increasingly moving beyond chatbots and content generation into specialized applications that automate complex tasks and simplify online business operations.
For startups like Tilt, the goal is not merely to make shopping easier. It is to transform how products are discovered, marketed, sold, and purchased in the digital age.
Whether Tilt can successfully challenge giants like TikTok Shop and eBay Live remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the battle for the future of online shopping is becoming increasingly powered by artificial intelligence, and startups are moving quickly to secure their place in that future.
