Conversica
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{{Infobox website
| name = Conversica
| logo = Conversica tagline vertical 3c rgb.png
| company_type = Private
| traded_as =
| foundation = Bellingham, Washington, United States (2007)
| location_city = San Mateo, California
| location_country = United States
| area_served = Worldwide
| founder = Ben Brigham, Senior Vice President
| owner =
| url = {{URL|www.conversica.com}}
| programming_language =
| registration = Required
| launch_date =
| current_status = Active
| industry =
| products = Conversica AI Assistants
| language = Multilingual
| screenshot =
| caption =
| advertising =
| website_type = Artificial Intelligence Intelligent Virtual Assistant Enterprise software
| alexa =
| revenue =
| net_income =
| num_employees = <200
| num_users = >2000 companies
}}
Conversica is a US-based cloud software technology company, headquartered in San Mateo, California, that provides two-way AI-driven conversational software and a suite of Intelligent Virtual Assistants for businesses to engage customers via email, chat, and SMS.{{Cite web |title=Conversica, which uses AI to replicate sales agents, raises $31M, now valued around $300M |date=30 October 2018 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/30/conversica-which-uses-ai-to-replicate-sales-agents-raises-31m-now-valued-around-300m/}}
History
2007: The company was founded by Ben Brigham in Bellingham, Washington, originally as AutoFerret.com. The company's initial product was a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) targeted at automotive dealerships. This soon expanded to lead generation, and then lead validation and qualification. The AI Conversica uses currently was made to follow up on and filter out low-quality leads. The focus of the company shifted toward this automated lead engagement technology.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
2010: The company started commercially selling AVA, the first Automated Virtual Assistant for sales, and the company name was changed to AVA.ai. Early customers for AVA were automotive dealerships. As the company moved away from generating leads themselves, and providing the CRM themselves, it became necessary to integrate with existing CRM and Marketing Automation platforms, such as DealerSocket, VinSolutions and Salesforce.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}
2013: The company raised $16m Series A funding,{{Cite web|url=https://www.kennet.com/news/press-releases/kennet-partners-announces-16m-investment-in-ava-ai-and-names-mark-a-bradley-as-ceo/|title=Kennet Partners announces $16 Million investment in AVA.ai and names Mark A. Bradley as CEO|language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}} led by Kennet Partners, and named Mark Bradley as CEO. It also moved its headquarters from Bellingham, Washington to Foster City, California.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conversica.com/company/|title=It also moved its headquarters from Bellingham, Washington to Foster City, California|language=en|access-date=2024-05-06}}
2014: The company changed its name from AVA.ai to Conversica.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conversica.com/ava-ai-announces-name-change-to-conversica/|title=AVA.ai Announces Name Change to Conversica {{!}} Sales AI Assistants {{!}} AI Assistants for Business {{!}} Conversica|date=2014-09-05|website=www.conversica.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}
2015: Alex Terry joined Conversica as its CEO.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conversica.com/conversica-names-saas-industry-veteran-alex-terry-as-new-ceo/|title=Conversica Names SaaS Industry Veteran Alex Terry as New CEO {{!}} Sales AI Assistants {{!}} AI Assistants for Business {{!}} Conversica|date=2015-07-27|website=www.conversica.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}} The business expanded to include customers in additional verticals, including technology, education, and financial services.
2016: The company raised $34m Series B funding,{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/14/conversica-lands-34-million-series-b-to-build-intelligent-sales-assistants/|title=Conversica lands $34 million Series B to build intelligent sales assistants|website=TechCrunch|date=14 December 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}} led by Providence Strategic Growth.
2017: Conversica expanded its intelligent automation platform and IVAs to support additional communication channels (e-mail and SMS text messaging) and communication languages. Conversica also opened a new technology center in Seattle, Washington to expand its AI and machine learning capabilities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/why-seattle-is-the-place-to-be-for-ai-startups-according-to-one-that-recently-opened-an-office-here/|title=Conversica's new Seattle office cement city's status as AI and machine learning hotbed|date=2017-05-16|website=GeekWire|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}
2018: The company raised $31m Series C funding,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2018-10-30/conversica-raises-31-million-in-series-c-funding-to-fuel-expansion-of-conversational-ai-for-business|title=Conversica Raises $31 Million in Series C Funding to Fuel Expansion of Conversational AI for Business|last=|first=|date=2018-10-30|website=www.bloomberg.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014200709/https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2018-10-30/conversica-raises-31-million-in-series-c-funding-to-fuel-expansion-of-conversational-ai-for-business |archive-date=2019-10-14 |access-date=2019-10-14}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.martechadvisor.com/news/sales-enablement/conversica-raises-31-million-in-series-c-funding-round/|title=Conversica Raises $31 Million in Series C Funding Round|last=|first=|date=|website=www.martechadvisor.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920113522/https://www.martechadvisor.com/news/sales-enablement/conversica-raises-31-million-in-series-c-funding-round/ |archive-date=2019-09-20 |access-date=2019-10-14}} led by Providence Strategic Growth. Conversica also acquired Intelligens.ai, providing a regional presence in Latin America with an office in Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.{{Cite web|url=https://smallbiztrends.com/2018/02/conversica-acquired-intelligens-small-business.html|title=Conversica Acquires Intelligens.ai to Give Small Business a Leg Up on AI Conversations|first=Rob|last=Starr|date=February 4, 2018}} The company launched an AI-powered Admissions Assistant for Higher Education industry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conversica.com/conversica-launches-industrys-first-ai-powered-admissions-assistant-for-higher-education/|title=Conversica Launches Industry's First AI-Powered Admissions Assistant for Higher Education {{!}} Sales AI Assistants {{!}} AI Assistants for Business {{!}} Conversica|date=2018-10-03|website=www.conversica.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}}
2019: Conversica was selected by Fast Company magazine as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative AI Companies in the World,{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2019/sectors/artificial-intelligence|title=The World's Most Innovative Companies 2019: Artificial Intelligence Honorees|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-14}} and was named Marketo's Technology Partner of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/conversica-named-technology-partner-of-the-year-by-marketo-2019-02-26|title=Conversica Named Technology Partner of the Year by Marketo|website=MarketWatch}}{{cite news |title=Flexible Hourly Assistance |url=https://perhourva.com/ |access-date=19 August 2023}} The company officially expanded into the EMEA region with the opening of a London office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conversica.com/conversica-opens-office-in-london/|title=Conversica Opens Office in London to Expand European Presence | Sales AI Assistants | AI Assistants for Business | Conversica|date=April 25, 2019|website=Sales AI | Leading AI Assistants for Business | Conversica}} As of August 2019, Conversica has over 50 different integrations with third parties. In October Conversica won three awards at the fourth annual Global Annual Achievement Awards for Artificial Intelligence.{{Cite web | url=https://awards.ai/?mc_cid=64e447ecb0&mc_eid=b84c7fe38c | title=Nominations}} Also that month, Alex Terry stepped down from his role as CEO and was replaced by Jim Kaskade.{{Cite web | url=https://www.martechadvisor.com/news/sales-enablement/conversica-names-jim-kaskade-as-chief-executive-officer/ | title=Conversica Names Jim Kaskade as Chief Executive Officer | MarTech Advisor | access-date=2019-11-04 | archive-date=2019-11-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104092004/https://www.martechadvisor.com/news/sales-enablement/conversica-names-jim-kaskade-as-chief-executive-officer/ | url-status=dead }}
2020: As part of Conversica's response to COVID-19, they optimized the business to become profitable in both 2Q20 and 3Q20, before reinvesting in 4Q20. The company transitioned both international operations in EMEA and LATAM to an indirect model with partners (LeadFabric and Nectia Cloud Solutions respectively), and moved a portion of its US-based employees to near-shore centers in Mexico and Brazil, effectively downsizing the company from 250 to 200. Conversica's reseller partner, Nectia, is a major Latin American affiliate and Chile's number one Salesforce partner, and, as part of the partnership, Nectia devoted capital to a brand new company segment, Predict-IA, dedicated to web-based artificial intelligent solutions. Predict-IA was able to immediately service all LATAM opportunities and clients with Conversica's AI Assistants with end-to-end services (marketing, sales, professional services, customer success, and technical support).{{Cite press release|last=|first=|date=4 May 2020|title=Customer Support in Latin America by Partnering with Nectia Cloud Solutions|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/04/2026669/0/en/Conversica-Expands-Its-Sales-and-Customer-Support-in-Latin-America-by-Partnering-with-Nectia-Cloud-Solutions.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522022836/http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/04/2026669/0/en/Conversica-Expands-Its-Sales-and-Customer-Support-in-Latin-America-by-Partnering-with-Nectia-Cloud-Solutions.html |archive-date=2020-05-22 |access-date=27 July 2020|website=GlobeNewswire}} Conversica's reseller partner, Leadfabric, has offices in Belgium, Amsterdam, Paris, UK, Taiwan, and Romania.{{Cite press release|last=|first=|date=6 May 2020|title=Conversica Announces a Strategic European Reseller Partnership with LeadFabric|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/06/2028164/0/en/Conversica-Announces-a-Strategic-European-Reseller-Partnership-with-LeadFabric.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513151149/http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/06/2028164/0/en/Conversica-Announces-a-Strategic-European-Reseller-Partnership-with-LeadFabric.html |archive-date=2020-05-13 |access-date=27 July 2020|website=GlobeNewswire}}
Technology
Conversica's Revenue Digital Assistants™ are AI assistants who engage with leads, prospects, customers, employees, and other persons of interest (Contacts) in a two-way human-like manner, via email, SMS text, and website chat, in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese. The RDAs are built on an Intelligent Automation platform that leverages natural language understanding, natural language processing, natural language generation, deep learning and machine learning. The Assistants are generally deployed alongside sales and marketing, customer success, account management, and higher education admissions teams, as part of an augmented workforce.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conversica.com/resources/sales-ai-assistant/|title=Sales AI Assistant | Sales AI Assistants | AI Assistants for Business | Conversica|website=www.conversica.com|date=11 August 2019}} The Intelligent Automation platform integrates with over 50 external systems, including CRM, Marketing Automation, and other systems of record. A partial list of integration partners includes: Salesforce, Marketo, Oracle, HubSpot, DealerSocket, Reynolds & Reynolds, CDK Global, VinSolutions and many more.
References
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