Zendesk has launched its global venture capital fund to support AI-first companies that are focused on improving customer and employee experience. Zendesk Ventures announced new investments into PolyAI, which is a developer of advanced voice assistants and unitQ, a platform powered by AI for customer feedback. The fund helps emerging companies unlock their potential through capital, CX, AI expertise and strategic partnerships for growth and innovation.
Ben Barclay, SVP, Strategy, Corporate Development, & Transformation, Zendesk, said: “Every organisation is on a journey to become AI-driven, so we’re eagerly forming partnerships with companies that are leading this new era.” “Our goal goes beyond building our products. We’re also supporting a startup ecosystem whose visions are aligned with ours. AI is transforming customer and employee service. The investment in these companies is more than just a way to drive their growth; it also enhances our customers’ abilities to provide exceptional customer service .”
The AI startup ecosystem in India is booming thanks to the Make AI in India initiative of the Union Government. AI startups in India are a great investment because of their unique value propositions and huge growth potential. Zendesk Ventures aims to bring together the best people, products and networks in order to empower AI-first startup companies in India that are focused solving meaningful business issues in the CX or EX space. We are excited about the future of AI startups in India – and the role Zendesk can have in their development”, said Vasudeva Munnaluri RVP India & SAARC at Zendesk.
Zuper, a field service management software company, and Observe.AI conversational intelligence platform, are already part of the Zendesk Ventures portfolio. The two new portfolio additions announced are focused on AI-powered CX, and operational efficiency.
PolyAI is a voice-focused software solution that allows Zendesk users to handle complex interactions like order tracking and delivery updates in a way that feels as natural as a conversation. This capability has increased revenue across a wide range of industries, while also reducing the number of calls and time spent by human agents.
– unitQ is an AI-powered platform that collects and analyses customer feedback and interactions from 60+ sources, in real-time. This allows businesses to identify the root cause for all user fiction, and improve their Net Promoter Scores.
“The market demands more personalized, proficient customer experiences.” This investment in a Zendesk-PolyAI future, along with our mutual connections in call centres, signals a powerful symbiosis,” said Michael Chen VP of Alliances at PolyAI. Zendesk Ventures is strengthening our existing partnership. We’re now better positioned to accelerate product development and enhance customer engagement by leveraging our voice-AI technology to deliver authentic, high quality interactions over the telephone. Together, we are eager to forge ahead to the next-generation of CX .”
“Partnering Zendesk means joining forces as a leader who opens doors to top talent and industry networks,” Christian Wiklund said, Co-Founder, and CEO of unitQ. This experience has created a wealth of insights that benefit our entire portfolio. We’ve gained much more than funding – now we’re connected to a community, and receive tailored mentoring to help our company grow.