Arcade.dev

At Arcade.dev, we envision a future where AI agents are not confined to simple chat interfaces but become trusted automation partners that securely engage with enterprise systems and real-world data. Our mission is to transform AI from passive conversational tools into proactive, authenticated agents that drive operational excellence and innovation at scale.

We are pioneering a vital infrastructure layer that seamlessly bridges large language models with private, sensitive enterprise APIs and services. By enabling secure, authenticated interactions, Arcade.dev empowers developers and enterprises to unlock the full potential of AI-powered automation, enhancing workflows and business processes with unprecedented trust and reliability.

Our platform is built to support a new era of intelligent agents that act with precision and responsibility, embodying the future of AI as a secure, integral part of enterprise ecosystems worldwide.

When we first heard about Arcade.dev, we'll admit we were skeptical. Another AI platform? But after digging into what founders Alex Salazar and Sam Partee built, we found ourselves genuinely impressed. This isn't just another chatbot wrapper—it's solving a real problem that's been holding back enterprise AI adoption.

The Lightbulb Moment

Here's what caught our attention: Arcade.dev started as an AI site reliability assistant but pivoted when the founders realized something crucial. Most AI agents are basically fancy parrots—they can talk about your data but can't actually touch it. They're locked out of Gmail, Slack, GitHub, and every other tool that matters in your daily workflow.

Salazar and Partee figured out that the real value wasn't in building yet another AI agent. It was in creating the plumbing that lets any AI agent securely access authenticated services. Think of it as "SSO for AI"—and honestly, that analogy clicked for us immediately.

What Actually Works

The platform is refreshingly straightforward. If you're already using OpenAI's tool calling, you can literally swap in Arcade.dev's endpoint and suddenly your AI can authenticate with real services. We love that kind of developer experience—minimal friction, maximum capability.

The pre-built connectors for Gmail, Slack, Salesforce, and other popular tools mean you're not reinventing authentication wheels. But what really impressed us was their custom SDK. Want to connect to your proprietary database or that weird internal API from 2019? Go for it.

The Security Sweet Spot

Here's where Arcade.dev gets clever: AI agents inherit the same permissions as the human user they're assisting. It's not some broad, blanket access—it's delegated authority that respects your existing security boundaries. For enterprise teams who've been burned by security breaches, this approach feels refreshingly responsible.

We also appreciate their tool evaluation features. Testing how well LLMs interact with your tools before deploying them? That's the kind of unsexy but essential infrastructure work that separates serious platforms from weekend projects.

Who Should Pay Attention

If you're building AI automation tools or trying to move beyond basic chatbots, Arcade.dev deserves a hard look. It's particularly compelling for teams that want AI agents to actually do things—create GitHub issues, send Slack messages, update CRM records—rather than just talk about doing them.

The $12 million seed round from solid investors like Flybridge and Andy Rachleff suggests we're not the only ones who see the potential here. Sometimes the most important innovations aren't the flashiest—they're the ones that make everything else possible.