CIBC Innovation Banking Provides Growth Capital Financing to Bench IQ

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CIBC Innovation Banking announced today that it has provided growth capital financing to Bench IQ, an AI-powered judicial intelligence platform used by some of the world’s top law firms. Bench IQ recently raised a US$5.3 million seed round led by Battery Ventures and Inovia Capital.

The funding will enable Bench IQ to accelerate its growth by expanding its proprietary judicial dataset, advancing its AI agents, and growing its team across the U.S. and Canada.

Bench IQ provides litigators with judicial intelligence — insights into how presiding judges think and rule — to help lawyers craft more effective strategies and improve client outcomes. Its platform is trusted by leading AmLaw 200 firms, including four of the top five, enabling litigators to tailor their arguments based on a judge’s prior reasoning and decisions.

“Bench IQ’s technology is transforming litigation strategy by unlocking insights into judicial decision-making that were previously impossible to access,” said CIBC Innovation Banking Director Joshua Olawale. “We’re proud to support the company’s growth as it empowers litigators with data-driven intelligence and continues to shape the future of legal tech.”

“Knowing what your judge thinks is one of the most powerful advantages you can have in a court,” said Jimoh Ovbiagele, co-founder and CEO of Bench IQ. “With CIBC Innovation Banking, we can invest more deeply in our AI platform and scale faster, delivering greater insights to more firms across North America.”

About CIBC Innovation Banking

CIBC Innovation Banking has 25 years of specialized experience in growth-stage tech and life science companies across North America – a longer track record than most banks. CIBC Innovation Banking now has over $11 billion in funds managed including life sciences, health care, cleantech companies, investors, and entrepreneurs, and has assisted over 700 venture and private equity-backed businesses over the past six and a half years. The bank operates out of 14 global locations in San Francisco, Menlo Park, New York, Toronto, London, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal, Atlanta, Reston, and Durham. Connect with us today to start the conversation. Innovationbanking.cibc.com

About Bench IQ

Bench IQ is an AI-powered judicial intelligence platform trusted by leading law firms to tailor strategies to how their individual judges think—and tip the scales in their clients' favor. Founded in 2023 by a team with deep roots in both legal AI and big law, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.