By techycrunchy 
French startup Linkup is building an API that enables developers to enhance large language models (LLMs) with premium, trusted web content. This is part of a growing trend called Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), which integrates up-to-date, authoritative web information into AI responses. Unlike traditional scraping, which often operates without proper licensing agreements, Linkup connects AI developers with content publishers through formal licensing contracts.
Why It Matters:
With generative AI’s increasing reliance on vast amounts of web data, publishers face a dilemma: either block web scrapers with robots.txt files, sue companies over copyright violations, or monetize their content by licensing it to AI developers. The legal landscape is shifting, as highlighted by OpenAI’s ongoing lawsuits with publishers like The New York Times. To avoid such issues, companies like OpenAI have signed content licensing deals with major publishers.
Linkup capitalizes on this trend, offering a marketplace where content publishers can license their information to developers, while the startup ensures proper compensation. This approach bypasses scraping, providing a legal way for companies to access premium data.
How It Works:
Linkup integrates with the Content Management Systems (CMS) of publishers to fetch data without scraping. It then pays publishers based on how often their content is accessed by Linkup clients. Developers can use the licensed content to augment their AI systems, enriching the results generated by models like Mistral or OpenAI.
For example, one of Linkup’s clients uses the API to build an internal tool for sales teams, providing real-time, quality data on prospects to enrich LLM-based sales pitches.
The Competitive Landscape:
Linkup is not the only player in this space. ScalePost is another startup working with Perplexity to secure licensing deals, speeding up the process of integrating premium content into AI applications.
Funding and Growth:
Recently, Linkup raised €3 million (around $3.2 million) in a Seed round from investors such as Axeleo Capital, Motier Ventures, Seedcamp, and a group of business angels. The startup has a team of around 10 people and plans to hire 10 more within the next year.
As generative AI becomes more integrated into business applications, services like Linkup are positioning themselves to provide an essential link between AI developers and trusted, licensed web content.