Ando launches AI-native team messaging app with $20 million funding

• Ando has launched a team messaging platform that allows AI agents to participate directly in conversations.
• The app provides AI agents with their own identities and inboxes, enabling them to join channels and conversations naturally.
• Ando aims to eliminate the need for "meat proxies," where humans relay information between AI agents and their teams.
• The platform includes features like channels, direct messages, group conversations, and live calls that can be transcribed for agents.
• Ando has raised $20 million in pre-seed and seed funding from investors including Accel, Index Ventures, and Emergence.
• The company is currently working with customers in software, real estate, and finance across 15 countries.

Ando, a new startup founded by Sara Du, has emerged from stealth with a team messaging platform designed to integrate AI agents more seamlessly into workplace communication. The app aims to allow AI agents to participate directly in conversations, understand context, and interact with human colleagues without the need for human intermediaries, a phenomenon Du refers to as "meat proxies."

Launched on Thursday, Ando offers features such as channels, direct messages, group conversations, and live call transcriptions, all accessible to AI agents. These agents can join conversations independently, message humans when necessary, and operate with their own distinct identities within the platform. This approach contrasts with traditional platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams, which often treat AI agents as installable apps.

To support its development, Ando announced it has secured $20 million in pre-seed and seed funding from investors including Accel, Index Ventures, and Emergence. Du believes that while established players are adapting to AI integration, there is a significant market opportunity for an AI-agent-native platform that can offer a more fluid experience.

Despite initial skepticism, Du noted that customer adoption and engagement have grown, highlighting instances where agents have proactively managed conversations and facilitated decision-making by processing more information than humans can in a similar timeframe. Ando is currently working with clients in the software, real estate, and finance sectors across 15 countries, with plans to use the new capital for hiring and further development.