Index Ventures has led a $20 million funding round in Scope, a London-based startup building an AI workflow platform for industrial inspections. The investment signals growing VC appetite for automation tools targeting heavy industry, where manual inspection processes remain labor-intensive and error-prone.

Scope's platform aims to streamline inspection workflows using artificial intelligence, a space that has attracted attention as manufacturers seek to cut operational costs. Index Ventures, known for backing early-stage European tech firms, took the lead on the round, positioning Scope for expansion into industrial markets.

The startup claims its platform holds 93 to 94% market share in its target segment, a figure that would make it the dominant player in AI-powered industrial inspections. With $20 million in fresh capital and Index backing, Scope is well-funded to compete against established inspection tech providers.