Sydney-based voice communication platform, Curious Factor has raised $7 million in pre-series A funding.
The spherical led by personal funding agency Hawkstone, supported by Blacksheep Capital and January Capital, with current traders, Westpac’s VC fund Reinventure, and Qualgro, returning after backing a $1.5 million spherical in 2019.
The money injection will probably be used to assist the enterprise ramp up staffing and development within the startup’s key verticals; monetary providers, well being and know-how purchasers, in addition to extra enlargement in Southeast Asia and america.
Co-founder and CEO Sam Zheng mentioned the corporate determined to pivot its software program capabilities from software program from HR and job interviews to buyer engagement, with firms utilizing AI voice bots for firms to proactively have interaction with their clients. Already the enterprise has course of greater than three million minutes of AI-human conversations by way of the platform.
Curious Factor’s consumer base consists of Quitline, Calvary, Brighte, and Humm Group in addition to state and native governments. It has grown its core staff in Australia to greater than 30, with extra employees within the US.
“Serving to companies reimagine B2C communication is the core of Curious Factor’s mission as there may be an growing misalignment between buyer expectation and what companies are capable of ship when speaking with clients,” Zheng mentioned.
“Previously, companies normally handled a static view of buyer contact factors. As we speak, passively responding to clients’ wants is just not ok; companies must proactively have interaction and curiously uncover insights about clients.”
Zheng mentioned they have been notably pleased with their social impression within the well being sector.
“We look ahead to utilizing this funding to constantly construct our distinctive voice AI know-how in addition to deepen our experience in human-AI belief and conversational consumer expertise – at a time when voice AI quickly emerges from a ‘good to have’ to ‘strategic enterprise instrument’,” he mentioned.
Hawkstone Asia Pacific MD John Hollingsworth mentioned his firm has prolonged and intensive investor and administration experience in buyer care and voice automation.
“So we firmly grasp the worth and potential of the Curious Factor product. We will’t wait to witness how the voice AI class evolves over the approaching months and years,” he mentioned.
“There may be actually numerous work to be completed within the voice AI area round partaking customers on the advantages of this know-how in addition to creating extra constructive and trusting human-AI relationships. Now we have each confidence in Curious Factor taking part in a number one position within the rising adoption of voice AI.”
