Top 33 ML Data labeling and annotation startups

Updated: Jan 12, 2026
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These companies utilize crowdsourcing platforms, machine learning algorithms and quality control mechanisms to provide accurate and comprehensive data labeling and annotation services for training machine learning models.
1
Appen
Country: Australia
Appen delivers high-quality datasets that power world-leading AI models. Its Appen AI Data Platform (ADAP) combines automation and human oversight to deliver high-quality data for a wide range of AI modalities and use cases. It streamlines complex workflows, enabling rapid model iteration and the development of advanced AI systems that meet business needs. Appen's network of over a million AI trainers worldwide evaluates datasets for accuracy and bias, adding value through language proficiency, creativity, and adherence to brand guidelines. Appen also provides enterprises with software for collecting, processing, customizing data that automates tasks traditionally performed by humans.
2
Scale AI
Country: USA | Funding: $15.9B
Scale AI is focused on data annotation for AI training and serves large tech companies like OpenAI, Google and Microsoft, which are developing large language models. It operates a distributed network of annotators and subcontractors via online platforms Remotasks and Outlier. The company also develops the "Scale Data Engine" platform for fine-tuning and reinforcement learning based on human feedback. Scale also has its own SEAL (Safety, Evaluations, Alignment Lab) research lab for evaluating and aligning AI models. At the exit it produces analytical reports on LLM performance, including quality metrics, safety and weaknesses. The company is 49% owned by Meta, that often raises concerns about independence, data leaks and client conflicts of interest.
3
Snorkel AI
Country: USA | Funding: $235.3M
Snorkel is an AI data science lab that develops datasets, benchmarks and data evaluation methods to help AI learn, adapt and operate in enterprise systems. Snorkel Flow platform connects enterprise data streams with systems that run AI in production, enabling organizations to evaluate, develop and improve models and agents quickly and with high quality. Snorkel also provides data preparation and annotation services, AI model evaluation, agent/RAG diagnostics and dataset creation. The company leverages its network of experts to produce high-quality datasets for specialized, domain-specific tasks. However, because manual labeling and annotation of data is a slow, expensive process, Snorkel also utilizes software labeling technologies, enabling experts to encode domain knowledge into labeling features so that they can be applied to the entire dataset at once, rather than one data point at a time. Snorkel Flow then removes the noise and applies the most likely label(s) to each data point.
4
Toloka
Country: Switzerland | Funding: $72M
Toloka is a provider of carefully curated data for developing AI agents and models. The company has a unique methodology for ensuring high data quality, optimally combining machine learning technologies and human expertise (the company has its own global network of experts). Toloka creates environments and training platforms for reinforcement learning, collecting trajectories and graded evaluation signals for training and evaluating AI agents. The company collaborates with each client to define reliable success criteria and then develops reproducible data and virtual environments that integrate with client's training and evaluation process. Toloka improves the following model parameters: agent skills, AI safety, coding skills, text generation and reasoning skills, image, video and audio generation.
5
Dataloop
Country: Israel | Funding: $49M
DataLoop develops data management and annotation platform that streamlines the process of creating quality machine learning and AI-ready datasets from unstructured data. Dataloop's dataset browser enables visualization of unstructured data at any scale, simplifying data exploration and improving decision making. It's data management capabilities support querying, versioning and curation of all types of unstructured data. The platform scales data to millions of individual elements of video, images, audio and other formats. Dataloop also simplifies the integration of human feedback into the AI ​​development process. Platform use cases include active learning workflows, validating GenAI, building AI Agents, building RAG workflows, DataOps and LiDAR data annotation. Dataloop also provides a marketplace of pre-created AI workflows, allowing teams to jumpstart their development with hundreds of pre-built pipeline templates, great datasets and the latest models.
6
Micro1
Country: USA | Funding: $41.6M
Micro1 helps AI development companies find and manage contractors for data labeling and training. Micro1 partners with leading AI labs, including Microsoft, who are seeking to improve large-scale language models using post-training and reinforcement learning. The company also helps evaluate enterprise AI agents for internal workflows, operations support, finance and industry-specific tasks - with the help of subject-matter experts. Micro1 also enables robotics pre-training, which requires high-quality, human-generated demonstrations of everyday physical tasks. It's building the world's largest robotics pre-training dataset by collecting demonstrations from hundreds of generalists who record interactions with objects in their homes.
7
Prolific
Country: UK | Funding: $33.7M
Prolific has built a network of 120,000 human participants to inform and stress test AI models.
8
Heartex
Country: USA | Funding: $30M
Heartex offers a data labeling and annotations tool for building accurate and smart AI products.
9
Surge AI
Country: USA | Funding: $25M
Surge AI is the world's most powerful data labeling platform for NLP.
10
RedBrick AI
Country: USA | Funding: $5.1M
RedBrick AI is a SaaS platform for annotating medical data.
11
Co-one
Country: Estonia | Funding: $2M
AI based, gamification supported, crowdsourced data annotation and enrichment platform
12
Annotation Hub
Country: Ukraine | Funding: $1.5M
Annotation Hub offers a curated platform for data annotation freelancers and agencies. Beyond job connections, we equip individuals with sought-after annotation skills, ensuring their evolution from entry-level roles to tech professionals.
13
Enabled Intelligence
Country: USA | Funding: $1M
Enabled Intelligence specializes in AI-powered data labeling for classified systems. The company collaborates with the Department of Defense, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, CSHA, BAE Systems, Vantor and others. In particular, the company provides data labeling services, enabling AI and machine learning systems to separate objects in satellite imagery to identify targets of interest. Enabled Intelligence also develops own AI models for high-stakes applications, creates pre-labled libraries and datasets, provides LLM fine-tuning and testing services and annotates audio recordings in various languages.
14
Labellerr
Country: USA | Funding: $100K
Labellerr's data labeling engine uses automated annotation, advanced analytics and smart QA to process million images and thousands hrs of videos in just few weeks.
15
SunTec AI
Country: USA
SunTec.AI is associated with clients belonging to a diverse set of industries and provides them with premium, data annotation services at competitive prices. Our work enables AI and machine learning business processes to have access to error-free and scalable so that they can improve their solutions and offer precise analysis and predictions. Our expert team of professionals can handle projects related to image annotation, sentiment analysis, intent variation, and so on. We thrive to deliver accurate, cost-efficient data labeling services with guaranteed data security and privacy
16
Outlier
Country: USA
Outlier is a platform operated by Scale AI that connects experts with leading AI companies to further train LLM models. Depending on their specialization, experts can create prompts, rank AI results, refine model responses, create complex tasks, develop response evaluation criteria, or perform other tasks that enhance AI performance. Available projects are diverse, and you can choose your area of ​​expertise. Experts earn based on the number of hours they dedicate to the work, and they retain full control over their schedule with no minimum hours required. The startup partners with leading AI companies and research labs.
17
Shaip
Country: USA
Shaip is an end-to-end AI training data ecosystem that helps companies launch their most demanding AI initiatives.
18
DataAnnotation Tech
Country: USA
DataAnnotation Tech (a subsidiary of Surge AI) is a platform that specializes in recruiting more-or-less qualified experts to label data for training AI models remotely. Freelancers perform tasks such as image and video labeling, fact-checking and suggesting best responses for chatbots, audio transcription, writing text and code. Pay depends on the complexity of the task and starts at $20 per hour. The platform allows participants to choose projects and working hours. Before contractors can receive tasks, they must create account and complete screening tests. The platform is often associated with scam because freelancers sell their accounts or build a network of subcontractors to work through their own accounts.
19
Wisepl
Country: India
Wisepl is one of the leading companies in image annotation to annotate the data with an exceptional level of accuracy
20
TagX
Country: India
TagX is an Industry-leading data annotation/labeling Company creating high-quality data assets for Artificial Intelligence leveraging AI and humans in the loop. By learning from the data we create AI solutions for industries to maximize profits and reduce downtimes.
21
Cogito Tech
Country: USA
Cogito is the industry leader in data labeling and annotation services to provide the training data sets for AI and machine learning model developments. All types of AI and ML services requires the training data for algorithms with next level of accuracy making AI possible into diverse fields like healthcare, gaming, agriculture, retail, automotive, robotics and security surveillance etc.
22
Annotation Support
Country: India
Annotation Support is a professional annotation services provider offering 15+ types of annotations. The services are offered to Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning, Computer vision, Autonomous vehicle, Retail intelligence, Image recognition, Research Labs, Robotics and many other industries.
23
Learning Spiral AI
Country: India
Learning Spiral AI is the fastest growing Image Annotation company in India and specialize in processing Image/Video/Text/Audio data Annotation with expertise across various Use-cases, accumulated over the past 5+ years. Successfully completed over 1000 projects for numerous premium clients.
24
Hitech BPO
Country: India
We specialize in providing high-quality data annotation services to leading AI and ML companies. Our expertise lies in transforming raw data into valuable training sets that fuel the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence applications.
25
People for AI
Country: France
People For AI is a French data labeling company. Using our service, you will obtain high-quality training data for your computer vision, NLP or speech recognition algorithms.
26
SmartOne AI
Country: Canada
SmartOne, a pioneer in data labeling since 2012, is renowned for ethical practices, low turnover, and delivering over 95% accuracy. We offer new clients a free Proof of Concept (POC) to showcase our top-tier skills and processes. Choose SmartOne for quality, experience, and precision in data labeling.
27
Anolytics
Country: India
Anolytics provides image, text, audio and video annotation services for computer vision and machine learning.
28
Macgence
Country: India
Macgence is a leading Language and AI Data Sourcing company at the forefront of providing exceptional human-generated solutions to make AI Better. We specialise in offering fully managed AI/ML data solutions, catering to the evolving needs of businesses across industries. With a strong commitment to responsibility and sincerity, we have established ourselves as a trusted partner for organisations seeking advanced technology solutions.
29
Label Your Data
Country: USA
Label Your Data offers secure, high-quality data annotation services for Computer Vision and NLP. Our expertise spans diverse industries (including military) and data types.
30
FutureBeeAI
Country: India
FutureBeeAI is providing end-to-end ecosystem for acquiring all kinds of training datasets.
31
Remote Labeler
Country: Ukraine
Remote Labeler is a leading specialized service provider that offers comprehensive solutions to help businesses build and manage a highly skilled team of remote data labeling specialists.
32
Sigma.AI
Country: USA
Sigma AI is a global training data collection, preparation and annotation services company. For companies building the next generation of AI, we provide the highest quality training data at scale, with a human touch.
33
Lexsense
Country: UK
Lexsense provides metadata annotation for NLP solutions.
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Siddhant Patel
Editor: Siddhant Patel
Siddhant Patel is a senior editor for AI-Startups. He is based out of India and has previously worked at publications including Huffington Post and The Next Web. Siddhant has a special interest in artificial intelligence and has spent a decade covering the rapidly-evolving business and technology of the industry. Siddhant graduated from the Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru). When he’s not writing, Siddhant is also a developer and has a deep historical knowledge of the computer industry for the past 50 years. You can contact Siddhant at sidpatel(at)ai-startups(dot)pro