Arcade is an AI infrastructure company building what it calls the industry's first authenticated tool-calling platform, the missing layer that lets AI agents act on behalf of users securely. Most agents today can talk but can't safely do, because connecting them to real services like Gmail, Slack, GitHub, and Salesforce requires solving thorny authentication and authorization problems. Arcade's platform handles exactly that, giving agents the credentials and permissions they need to take trusted, real-world actions.
Founded in February 2024 by Alex Salazar and Sam Partee, Arcade transforms AI applications from conversational interfaces into production automation tools. It provides developer-friendly infrastructure to deploy agents that can read and send email, post to channels, open pull requests, or update CRM records, all while enforcing best-in-class security and respecting the boundaries of user consent and scoped access.
The company's bet is that authentication, not reasoning, is the real bottleneck for production agents. Enterprises won't let agents touch sensitive systems without robust identity, authorization, and auditability, and homegrown solutions are fragile and risky. By packaging secure tool-calling as a platform, Arcade lets developers ship agents that act on real systems without reinventing OAuth flows and permission models for every integration.
Arcade raised a $12 million seed round in March 2025 led by Laude Ventures, with participation from Flybridge, Hanabi Capital, Neotribe Ventures, and notable angels including Andy Rachleff. Its backers reflect deep roots in developer infrastructure and security.
For teams building agents that must safely operate inside the modern SaaS stack, Arcade offers the authentication and tool-calling backbone, turning the promise of agents that can act into a secure, deployable reality.