Pittsburgh startup Agot AI raises $10M SAFE note round to improve food order accuracy
Summary
Focused on quick service restaurants (QSRs), Agot uses cameras, artificial intelligence and computer vision to identify and eliminate errors in food orders. “The lifetime value of the customer — which is the holy grail for QSR — it became quickly apparent to them that they were losing it,” said Regan, adding that the the increased use of online ordering systems during the pandemic put even more pressure on QSRs to reduce errors. Founded in early 2020 by former Carnegie Mellon University students Evan DeSantola and Alex Litzenberger, Agot now has close to 50 employees and operates out of the Lohr Building, which is located in an Opportunity Zone (an area where certain investments might qualify for tax incentives) and also houses the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation. Regan said that location and the welcoming community around it has been beneficial for Agot’s growth, perhaps even more than headquartering in the heavily tech-populated neighborhood of East Liberty. Though Regan was unable to share specific customer names due to nondisclosure agreements, he has hopes of reaching market dominance through current and future partnerships with some of the largest brands in the QSR industry.