Respond.io
Category: AI Agents
AI-powered customer conversation management platform that helps mid-market B2C businesses capture, convert, and retain customers across messaging channels including WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and voice calls. Respond.io was founded in 2017. The company is led by Gerardo Salandra. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Team size: 101-500. Total funding raised: $71.3M. Latest round: Series B. Key investors include Camber Partners, Endeavor Catalyst, Headline Asia, Beyond Ventures, KTB Network, AltaIR Capital, Smart Partnership Capital, Sterling Oak Group, Calendula Ventures, Global Technology Alliance.
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Team size
- 101-500
- Total funding
- $71.3M
Value proposition
AI-powered customer conversation platform unifying 16+ messaging channels with AI Agents, automation, and CRM integrations, purpose-built for high-volume B2C revenue conversations. Charges per conversation volume (not per seat), so AI efficiency doesn't reduce vendor revenue.
Products and solutions
AI Agents (autonomous lead qualification, sales, and support), Team Inbox (unified messaging across WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Messenger, LINE, Telegram, WeChat, voice calls, email, web chat), Workflows (no-code automation builder), Customer Lifecycle Management, WhatsApp Business Calling API, VoIP calls
Unique value
Only platform offering end-to-end integrations across messaging AND calling with native AI Agents that operate inside routing logic, conversation history, CRM context and workflow automation — built on a data flywheel from processing 2B+ messages/quarter.
Target customer
Mid-market B2C businesses (200-10,000 employees) in high-consideration verticals where customers need to talk before buying
Industries served
Retail, Education, Healthcare, Automotive, Travel, Professional Services
Technology advantage
Structural advantage from processing 2B+ messages/quarter creates a data flywheel — aggregate intelligence about how businesses deploy AI in high-volume messaging shapes AI feature development; 99.999% uptime architecture; ISO 27001 certified; GDPR compliant; early access to Meta and TikTok API features as official partner.
How they differentiate
Founded messaging-first (2017) rather than bolting messaging onto email/call platforms; conversation-volume-based pricing (not per-seat); Meta and TikTok early-access partner for WhatsApp Calling API and TikTok Business Messaging; 9 years of operational depth with 99.999% uptime; profitable with $35M ARR and 30% profit margin; data flywheel from 2B+ messages/quarter trains AI on real business messaging patterns.
Main competitors
Zendesk, Intercom, Freshchat (Freshworks)
Key partnerships
Meta (official Meta Business Partner, early access to WhatsApp Business Calling API), TikTok (official TikTok Marketing Partner, early access to TikTok Business Messaging and TikTok Messaging Ads), OpenAI (technology partner for AI infrastructure), Amazon Web Services (cloud infrastructure partner)
Notable customers
Toyota, McDonald's, British Airways, Radisson, Hertz, Decathlon, Roche, Abenson, ShareChat
Major milestones
2017: Founded as Rocketbots in Hong Kong, 2018: Seed funding led by Global Technology Alliance, 2019: Relocated HQ from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur, 2020: Rebranded to Respond.io, raised $1.8M pre-Series A, 2022: Raised $7M Series A led by Headline Asia, 2023: Became Meta WhatsApp BSP, introduced AI capabilities, 2024: Launched Customer Lifecycle Management, selected for WhatsApp Business Calling API first release, 2025: Became official TikTok Marketing Partner, launched autonomous AI Agents
Growth metrics
$35M ARR; 169% YoY growth; 30% profit margin; 2B messages/quarter; 10,000+ customers in 180+ countries
Market positioning
Leading customer conversation platform in APAC, LATAM, and EMEA for mid-market B2C businesses; expanding into North America and Europe with Series B capital. Competes against incumbent enterprise platforms (Zendesk, Intercom) that bolted messaging onto email/call-centric systems.
Geographic focus
Global HQ in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; revenue split: ~30% APAC, ~30% LATAM, ~20% Middle East & Africa, ~20% North America & Western Europe (fastest-growing regions)
About Gerardo Salandra
Ex-IBM, Ex-Google, Ex-Runtastic (fitness app sold to Adidas in 2015); MBA from Chinese University of Hong Kong; 2x Forbes 30 Under 30; Co-chairman of Artificial Intelligence Society of Hong Kong
Official website: https://respond.io