Boardy, a Professional Networking Startup Driven by AI Voice Technology, Closes $3 Million Pre-Seed Round
Boardy, a professional networking startup powered by AI voice technology, recently announced the successful completion of a $3 million pre-seed funding round. The company, co-founded by CEO Andrew D’Souza along with brothers Ankur Boyed and Abhinav Boyed, conceptualized the idea in March, commenced development over the summer, and officially launched this month.
The core concept behind Boardy is straightforward: users provide their phone numbers to Boardy.ai and receive a call from an AI voice assistant named Boardy. Through conversing with Boardy, users share information about their current projects and objectives. Boardy then leverages its network of professionals to identify potential connections that can offer assistance. Initially comprising D’Souza’s personal network of investors, founders, and creators, the Boardy network has since expanded to include thousands of individuals. Primarily catering to those seeking customer and investor introductions, the platform has also facilitated access to accelerator programs and assisted in co-founder matching.
According to D’Souza, if Boardy identifies a promising connection based on relevance and compatibility, it initiates a double-opt-in introduction process. Upon mutual acceptance, Boardy facilitates an introduction via email and continues to assist users in establishing new connections on a regular basis.
The motivation behind launching Boardy stemmed from concerns about the growing loneliness epidemic exacerbated by social media. D’Souza highlighted the need for AI to foster human connections rather than further isolate individuals. Unlike other AI-powered companion platforms, Boardy focuses on using AI to enhance collaboration and address societal challenges.
Prior to founding Boardy, D’Souza played a pivotal role in establishing and leading the e-commerce company Clearco. Following nearly a decade at Clearco, he transitioned to a new venture, paving the way for Boardy’s inception.
Securing funding for Boardy proved relatively straightforward, with investors primarily sourced from D’Souza’s network cultivated during his tenure at Clearco. Notable investors in the pre-seed round included HF0, 8VC, Precursor, Afore, FJ Labs, and NextView.
Looking ahead, Boardy intends to utilize the fresh capital to further enhance and train its AI technology, with a focus on improving intelligence and empathy. The team also aims to expand Boardy’s network to provide users with a broader range of connections.
While Boardy currently faces limited competition in the AI social networking space, companies like Butterflies and SocialAI are also exploring similar concepts. D’Souza distinguishes Boardy by emphasizing the AI agent’s autonomy and prioritization of user needs over external influences.
As D’Souza aptly summarizes, “Boardy operates autonomously to assist users without compromising the integrity of its network, ensuring trustworthiness and reliability.”
