Seattle startup Ambassador raises $7M to help companies analyze customer feedback with help from AI

Seattle startup Ambassador raised $7 million to fuel growth of its software that helps companies track and act on customer feedback.

Marketing and revenue teams use Ambassador to manage customer referrals, surveys, loyalty programs, email outreach, and other engagement tools from a single platform. The company says it works with more than 200 customers globally, including large enterprises in telecom, fintech, and B2B software.

The funding coincides with the launch of HiroAI, the company’s new AI layer designed to analyze customer engagement data across different systems and recommend actions to improve retention and revenue.

Ambassador says HiroAI is designed to support marketing teams by surfacing insights and guiding next steps — but not completely automate decisions. The company is betting that businesses want fewer disconnected tools and more automation as teams shrink and budgets tighten. 

“We’re actually building the most connected AI feedback network on the planet,” said CEO Geoff McDonald.

McDonald said Ambassador is using AI itself to replace some manual internal work such as lead scoring and customer outreach. The company has 22 employees.

Ambassador was acquired from Intrado in 2021. McDonald previously co-founded and led Seattle startup Element Data.

The latest funding round includes investment from former Zipwhip executives and employees, including Zipwhip co-founder John Larson, who is chief strategy officer and co-founder at Ambassador. “This is my personal biggest bet I’ve made as an investor,” Larson said.

Other backers include Archibald Cox Jr., former chairman of Barclays; VentureUs; former Zipwhip exec James Lapic; and Seattle-based investors Cliff Monlux and Paul Stahura. Total funding to date is $11 million.