Here’s a rewritten version of the article in a natural, human tone:
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I still remember the feeling of pouring my heart and soul into a project, only to wonder if anyone would even notice. That’s exactly what the founders of Linq, a Birmingham-based startup, experienced. They initially created a digital enterprise card for sales teams, but that was just the beginning. Instead of resting on their laurels, they saw an opportunity to disrupt the status quo and revolutionize buyer communication by harnessing the power of AI and messaging apps.
The founders, Elliot, Patrick, and Jared, took a few swings before landing on the idea of connecting SMS to iMessage and RCS (Rich Communication Services). They noticed that prospects could tell when they were talking to a business, with those distinct grey text bubbles and branding. Why not blend in seamlessly? They thought, and well, that’s exactly what they did.
Linq launched an API that allowed companies to send messages natively within iMessage, unleashing features like group chats, emojis, threaded replies, photos, and voice notes. The result? Their annual recurring revenue doubled within eight months.
But that wasn’t enough. Linq took it to the next level by introducing Poke, a smart AI assistant that can handle tasks, answer questions, and schedule calendars from within iMessage. Companies like The Interplay Firm of California took notice and approached Linq to integrate their AI assistant with Linq’s messaging API. That’s when Linq realized their technology was more than just serving B2B customers.
Linq made the unthinkable move and pivoted again to become the infrastructure layer for the AI market. With Poke as the driving force, Linq’s API began receiving requests from multiple AI companies, and their customer base grew by a whopping 132% in the previous quarter. The numbers don’t lie: 134,000 monthly active users, 30 million messages per month, and a net income retention of 295% with 0% churn.
To fuel their growth, Linq secured a $20 million Series A funding from TQ Ventures, with Mucker Capital and angel investors participating. This is the lifeblood their expansion plans need to flourish.
While Linq is currently building on top of Apple’s platform, they have ambitions far beyond messaging. They see a world where conversational technology is seamless across channels, including Slack, email, Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, and Signal. By making AI-to-human communication silky smooth, Linq is paving the way for a new class of companies – and their founding team is poised to execute on this massive opportunity.
What do you think about Linq’s innovative approach to buyer communication? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
