Intercom, Inc.
{{Short description|American software company}}
For voice communications systems, see Intercom.{{COI|date=March 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Intercom, Inc.
| logo = Intercom Logo Vertical Black.png
| type = Private company
| founders = {{Unbulletedlist|Eoghan McCabe |Des Traynor |Ciaran Lee |David Barrett}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|2011}}
| location = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| key_people = {{Unbulletedlist|Eoghan McCabe (Chairperson & CEO) |Paul Adams (CPO) |Darragh Curran (CTO) |Dan Griggs (CFO)}}
| industry = Enterprise software
| website = {{URL|intercom.com}}
| num_employees = 1,013 (2022){{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/intercom/ | title=Intercom | Company Overview & News | website=Forbes |access-date=October 7, 2022}}
| revenue = {{nowrap|{{increase}} US$200 million (2021){{Cite web|url=https://thecurrency.news/articles/66956/intercom-has-hit-200m-in-annual-recurring-revenue-how-long-before-it-pulls-the-trigger-on-an-ipo/|title = Intercom has hit $200m in annual recurring revenue. But where is the tech firm going next? |last= Lyons |first= Tom |date = November 23, 2021|website= The Currency|publisher= |access-date= July 8, 2023}}}}
}}
Intercom, Inc. is a software company that specializes in AI enabled Customer Service, providing businesses with a way to support their customers across multiple channels with both AI and human support.{{Cite news |last=Lyons |first=Tom |date=August 11, 2020 |title=Eoghan McCabe helped build a billion-dollar business. How did the 36-year-old do it, and what will he do next? |work=The Currency |url=https://thecurrency.news/articles/21949/for-me-money-is-exciting-because-it-is-a-resource-that-i-can-put-to-ever-greater-use/ |access-date=May 13, 2022}} Intercom has its headquarters in San Francisco with offices in Chicago, Dublin, Sydney and London.
History
Intercom was founded in California in 2011 by four Irish designers and engineers, Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, Ciaran Lee, and David Barrett.{{cite news|last1=O'Brien|first1=Ciara|title=Serial founders expanding his tech success from base in the Valley|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/serial-entrepreneur-s-expanding-his-tech-success-from-base-in-the-valley-1.2331041|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=24 February 2017}} They previously ran Irish software design consultancy Contrast, which made a bug tracking tool called Exceptional. After selling Exceptional to Rackspace in 2011, they used the proceeds to start Intercom.{{cite news|last1=Newenham|first1=Pamela|title=Four Irishmen on a mission to build a billion-dollar company|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/four-irishmen-on-a-mission-to-build-a-billion-dollar-company-1.1664244|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=24 February 2017}}
In 2012 Twitter co-founder Biz Stone invested an undisclosed sum in Intercom.{{cite web|last1=Bort|first1=Julie|title=How drinking Guinness with Biz Stone launched one of the fastest-growing startups in the Valley today|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/intercom-is-on-track-to-be-one-of-the-fastest-growing-startups-2017-2|website=Business Insider|access-date=25 February 2017|language=en}} Shortly after, the company received seed funding from David Sacks, Huddle founder Andy McLoughlin, and others like Dan Martell, 500 Global (previously 500 Startups), and Digital Garage.{{cite web|last1=O'Dell|first1=Jolie|title=Startup Intercom nabs $1M from Biz Stone and other prominent angels|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS148644705920120126|website=Reuters|access-date=24 February 2017|date=25 January 2012}}{{Cite web|title=Biz Stone, 500 Startups And Others Put $1M In CRM For Web Businesses Intercom|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/01/25/biz-stone-500-startups-and-others-put-1m-in-social-crm-for-web-businesses-intercom/|access-date=2021-02-02|website=TechCrunch|date=January 25, 2012 |language=en-US}} In March 2013 it announced a $6 million Series A round led by Social Capital.{{cite web|last1=Ha|first1=Anthony|title=Customer Communication Startup Intercom Raises $6M Round Led By The Social+Capital Partnership|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/19/intercom-series-a/|website=TechCrunch|date=June 19, 2013 |access-date=24 February 2017}} In January 2014 it received a $23 million Series B funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners.{{cite web|last1=Lunden|first1=Ingrid|title=Intercom Raises Another $23M For Its New, More Social Approach To CRM|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/22/intercom-raises-another-23m-for-its-new-more-social-approach-to-crm/|website=TechCrunch|date=January 22, 2014 |access-date=24 February 2017}} Intercom also received a $50 million Series C-1 funding led by Index Ventures.{{cite web|last1=Goldfisher|first1=Alastair|title=Index leads $50 mln funding round for Intercom|url=https://www.pehub.com/2016/04/3324696/|website=PE Hub|access-date=24 February 2017|date=7 April 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Garland|first1=Russ|title=Index Ventures Backs Intercom in $50 Million Series D|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2016/04/07/the-daily-startup-index-ventures-backs-intercom-in-50-million-series-d/|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=7 April 2016|access-date=24 February 2017}}
In 2017 Intercom offered to pay the legal fees for those affected by US president Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims who wanted to relocate to Ireland.{{cite web|last1=Geron|first1=Tomio|last2=Zakrzewski|first2=Cat|title=Startup Investors and Executives Denounce Border Curbs|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/startup-investors-and-executives-denounce-immigration-order-1485913844?tesla=y|website=Wall Street Journal|access-date=24 February 2017|date=1 February 2017}}
In 2018, Intercom announced a $125 million Series D round led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from Google Ventures.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/27/intercom-raises-125-million-to-take-on-salesforce/|title=Intercom raises $125 million to take on Salesforce – TechCrunch|website=techcrunch.com|date=March 27, 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-15}}
In June 2020, Intercom's founder and then chief executive officer Eoghan McCabe announced at an internal company "all hands" meeting that he would be moving to the role of chairman and standing down as CEO.{{Cite web|last=McCabe|first=Eoghan|date=2020-06-18|title=Announcing Intercom's new CEO|url=https://www.intercom.com/blog/our-new-ceo/|access-date=2021-07-06|website=Inside Intercom|language=en-US}}{{Self-published source|date=July 2023}} Karen Peacock was announced as Intercom's new chief executive, effective July 1, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Ron |title=Intercom announces the promotion of Karen Peacock to CEO |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/18/intercom-announces-the-promotion-of-karen-peacock-to-ceo/ |website=TechCrunch.com |date=June 18, 2020 |access-date=1 July 2020 |language=en-us}} A year before, McCabe had admitted to 'poor judgment' with female staff but was supported by Peacock, then the chief operating officer, who called him "an exceptional leader who is visionary and strategic, as well as kind, genuine and transparent".{{Cite news |last=Weckler |first=Adrian |date=May 11, 2019 |title=Irish tech boss McCabe admitted 'poor judgment' with female staff as he built up €1bn company |work=Irish Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/irish-tech-boss-mccabe-admitted-poor-judgment-with-female-staff-as-he-built-up-1bn-company-38100964.html |access-date=May 13, 2022}} McCabe was accused of slapping the buttocks of a female employee and propositioning another one after a night of drinks, however, both internal & external investigations cleared McCabe of wrongdoing.{{Cite web |last=Bernard |first=Zoë |date=May 9, 2019 |title=Harassment Allegations Against Intercom CEO Sparked Departures |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/harassment-allegations-against-intercom-ceo-sparked-departures |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=The Information}}{{Cite web|date=2022-10-06|title="Eoghan McCabe Is Back As CEO At Business Messaging Startup Intercom"|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrickcai/2022/10/06/eoghan-mccabe-is-back-as-ceo-at-business-messaging-startup-intercom/|access-date=2023-02-28|website=Forbes|language=en-US}} In July 2021, Intercom's co-founder and then chief technology officer (CTO) Ciarán Lee left the company.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-19|title="There are so many pinch-me moments on an exponential hockey stick curve journey"|url=https://thecurrency.news/articles/54195/there-are-so-many-pinch-me-moments-on-an-exponential-hockey-stick-curve-journey/|access-date=2021-07-23|website=The Currency|language=en-US}} McCabe was reappointed by the company's board as the CEO in October 2022.{{cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/06/eoghan-mccabe-the-controversial-intercom-co-founder-who-left-the-ceo-role-in-2020-is-stepping-back-in/ |title=Eoghan McCabe, the controversial Intercom co-founder who left the CEO role in 2020, is stepping back in |date=October 6, 2022 |website=TechCrunch}} In July 2023, Intercom withdrew its public support for Pride celebrations, including removing flags from offices in Dublin. Subsequently, McCabe came under pressure from staff for retweeting contentious tweets on Twitter. At a company-wide meeting, he promised to be more thoughtful in his use of the platform. {{Cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Ciara |date=July 7, 2023 |title=Intercom CEO promises to be 'more thoughtful' in Twitter engagement |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2023/07/07/intercom-ceo-promises-to-be-more-thoughtful-in-twitter-engagement/ |access-date=2023-07-08 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}
In 2023, Intercom ended support for the Twitter API support citing price changes.{{cite news |last=Binder |first=Matt |date=April 14, 2023 |title=Intercom drops Twitter support citing Musk's new exorbitant API pricing |work=Mashable |url=https://mashable.com/article/intercom-drops-twitter}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}