Zendesk, a leading customer service SaaS firm, has introduced Zendesk Ventures, a global venture fund aimed at backing early-stage AI-first startups focused on enhancing customer and employee experiences. In addition to capital, Zendesk Ventures will provide expertise in customer experience (CX) and artificial intelligence (AI) and identify strategic partnership opportunities to fuel growth for emerging startups in the sector.
“Every organization is on a path to becoming AI-driven, and we’re eager to form partnerships with companies leading this new era. Our goal extends beyond building our own products; we’re also supporting an ecosystem of startups whose visions align with ours,” said Ben Barclay, SVP of Strategy, Corporate Development and Transformation at Zendesk.
“Customer and employee service is changing rapidly because of advancements in AI. Investing in these companies does more than drive their growth, it elevates our customers’ ability to provide exceptional interactions,” he added.
The California-based firm has already invested in PolyAI, a developer of advanced conversational voice assistants, and unitQ, an AI-powered customer feedback platform. Zendesk’s portfolio also includes Observe.AI, a conversational intelligence platform, and Zuper, a field service management software provider.
Through Zendesk Ventures, the company aims to support and nurture the next generation of AI startups, fostering innovation and enhancing the overall customer and employee experience ecosystem.
