Pioneering the UI for AI: Celebrating Sana’s Anticipated Acquisition by Workday

This is an important day for the team at Sana and Menlo as Workday has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sana for ~$1.1B.

Everyone remembers the first time they saw generative AI technology. For many that was ChatGPT, but for me it was months earlier when I met Joel. Sana was already harnessing LLMs to create, organize and bring to life all of a company’s knowledge. Even then, it was clear: Sana was a hidden gem in Stockholm, quietly assembling one of the most talented teams to build the future of enterprise AI applications—so naturally we jumped at the opportunity to lead their Series B in late 2022.

From those early days, their journey has been defined by relentless ambition and product velocity. What began as a learning platform quickly evolved—first to enterprise search, then to AI assistants, and, ultimately, to a robust AI agent platform. Through every turn, the mission stayed the same: to become the “UI for AI,” organizing a company’s knowledge and unlocking its potential.

Today, that vision takes a historic step forward. For founders, employees, and investors alike, this milestone is more than just an outcome; it’s a validation of everything the team has built. Workday isn’t just gaining a platform; they’re gaining one of the most talented AI teams and a founder with the ambition and velocity to help shape the agentic future of the enterprise.

What set Sana apart was not just the intelligence of their solutions, but the intelligence of their people. Joel is a generational founder: visionary, driven, and uniquely capable of attracting world-class talent. I’ll never forget my first visit to their Stockholm office. The talent density was palpable, the culture unmistakably special. It was clear this was a company with the rare ability to turn ambition into reality.

There were moments along the way that stand out, like presenting the opportunity to Workday to co-invest with us in the Series B back in 2022. It was unconventional: a Swedish company with global AI aspirations, and a U.S. enterprise software leader willing to take a bet. It was humbling to be able to help start that relationship, and today that partnership comes full circle.

Personally, working with Sana has been a masterclass in organizational design for innovation. Product velocity above all else, but only if you engineer your company to deliver it, day in and day out. The journey to become their partner was itself a story: a last-minute dash to the airport, a ticket bought on the way, and a term sheet signed and received in the airplane somewhere over Greenland. From our first meeting with Joel and Jon, it was clear we wanted to be part of their journey, and we are grateful they chose us to be their partner.

To the Sana team: Workday’s culture and leadership will be an accelerant to everything you’ve already built. They are as intentional about their culture as you are, and you’ll feel right at home. Enjoy this next chapter—you’ve earned it.