AI news story

Malaysia’s AI agent-powered messaging app Respond.io raises $62.5M, eyes acquisitions

Respond.io, one of Malaysia startups to watch, uses AI agents to handle high volumes of customer inquiries and charges per conv…

  • AI
  • Source: TechCrunch
  • Published: 2026-06-16

Editor's take

Respond.io secured $62.5 million in Series B funding, signaling strong investor confidence in its AI-powered customer engagement platform. This capital infusion highlights a growing market for solutions that automate customer service through intelligent agents, moving beyond traditional per-seat licensing models to a per-conversation cost structure.

The company’s success underscores a broader industry shift towards agent-based AI that can autonomously manage customer interactions at scale. This funding allows Respond.io to compete more aggressively with established players and potentially acquire smaller, specialized AI startups to enhance its capabilities, particularly in areas like multilingual support or industry-specific agent training.

Future developments will likely focus on Respond.io's ability to integrate these potential acquisitions and demonstrate tangible improvements in customer satisfaction and operational efficiency for its clients. The company’s growth trajectory will also be a key indicator of the viability of the per-conversation pricing model against subscription-based alternatives.