Atomicwork is based by Vijay Rayapati, Kiran Darisi and Parsuram Vijayasankar
Quick-growing firms could also be nice at serving their clients, however what in regards to the worker expertise? As enterprise develops at a speedy tempo, it turns into more and more complicated and as soon as easy processes typically get uncontrolled; managers throw software program on the drawback, however that requires staff to grapple with a bunch of latest instruments simply to do their jobs.
That is precisely the issue San Francisco-based startup Atomicwork hopes to sort out. The corporate, which launched 12 months in the past, is right this moment saying an $11 million seed funding spherical because it seeks to commercialize the software-as-a-service answer it has developed.
“We have to discover a solution to simplify these processes and instruments for individuals to allow them to think about the work they should do,” says Vijay Rayapati, CEO and co-founder of the enterprise. The problem is especially acute, he claims, as a result of organizations are interested by new work fashions within the post-pandemic expertise. The hybrid strategy that many organizations take to working from dwelling versus working within the workplace brings further complexity to the method.
Atomicwork’s answer is a software that successfully unifies all different instruments that staff at the moment should work with. The software program works throughout the platform that employees are at the moment most comfy with – Slack, Microsoft Groups or e-mail, for instance – after which connects with all the opposite software program packages they use. The thought is that no matter activity they’re doing or query they should reply, they will solely want to make use of one software.
Moreover, constructed on generative AI, Atomicwork’s office assistant, which it calls Atom, is designed to permit staff to work together with it in additional pure methods than conventional software program. “Atom learns from firm processes and tribal information to assist staff with their questions and requests with out human intervention,” explains Rayapati.
It is an innovation in an space that many organizations are concerned about, with spending on worker expertise now reaching lots of of thousands and thousands annually. Analysis printed by the Harvard Enterprise Assessment earlier this yr means that “seamless know-how to scale back on a regular basis worker friction” ought to be one of many high 5 priorities for employers specializing in enhancing the worker expertise. A typical enterprise makes use of greater than 1,000 totally different purposes, HBR identified, however lower than a 3rd of them are capable of talk with one another.
Such findings are music to Atomicwork’s ears. Corporations merely did not work to make life simpler for his or her staff, says Rayapati. “Workers are nonetheless removed from being thought of inner clients by service groups due to the arbitrary boundaries between the again workplace and the remainder of the corporate,” he says. “They implement too many options and sophisticated processes, which ends up in misplaced productiveness and pointless friction.”
An excellent greater hazard—probably deadly to fast-growing companies in extremely aggressive markets like know-how—is that worker frustration will result in recruitment and retention complications. Such firms merely might not be capable of retain their finest individuals.
All that stated, Atomicwork’s innovation continues to be commercially unproven. The corporate has spent the previous yr growing its conversational AI software program in collaboration with about 20 early adopters who’ve been testing its varied iterations. Now the enterprise is able to begin promoting the software program, however it is going to face stiff competitors from current gamers available in the market, together with some massive names. IT large ServiceNow, for instance, targets related clients.
Nonetheless, Atomicwork’s buyers are satisfied that its know-how represents a aggressive level of distinction within the worker expertise market. Immediately’s seed spherical is led by Blume Ventures and Matrix Companions India, with participation from Storm Ventures, Neon Fund and quite a few angel buyers.
“The problem of worker help and expertise cries out for innovation,” says Pranay Desai, director at Matrix Companions India. “That is an skilled workforce that understands the right way to make world-class merchandise.”
In the meantime, at Blume, companion Sanjay Nath additionally believes Atomicwork can maintain its personal towards some greater rivals. “We’re very excited to take a position on this transformative area and help Atomicwork as they reshape the way forward for worker expertise and success.”