Former Perplexity engineer Kevin Jiang founded Polar, an AI‑first browser that automates knowledge‑work tasks and has raised a $5.7 million seed round led by Madrona.
Former Perplexity engineer Kevin Jiang has launched Polar, an AI‑first browser designed to automate routine knowledge‑work tasks, and has secured a $5.7 million seed round led by Madrona.
What Is Polar?
Polar integrates large‑language models directly into the browsing experience, allowing users to summarize articles, extract key data, draft emails, and generate reports without leaving the browser tab.
Key Features for Knowledge Workers
- AI‑driven summarization of web pages and PDFs
- One‑click extraction of tables, dates, and contact information
- Context‑aware drafting of emails and meeting notes
- Seamless integration with popular productivity suites
The browser also offers a “workspace” view that groups related tabs and AI‑generated insights, helping professionals keep research organized and actionable.
Funding and Backers
Polar’s seed round raised $5.7 million, with Madrona Ventures leading the investment. Other participants include several angels with deep ties to the AI and enterprise software ecosystems.
Jiang, who previously contributed to Perplexity’s Comet project, said the funding will accelerate product development, expand the model‑training pipeline, and grow the engineering team.
“We want to turn the browser into a proactive assistant that does the heavy lifting for knowledge work, not just a passive window to the web.”
Polar is currently in private beta, with invitations extended to early‑stage startups and enterprise teams seeking to streamline research and documentation workflows.
For more details, see the TechCrunch coverage of Polar’s seed round.