Until a year ago, Arjun Pillai, the former chief data officer at ZoomInfo, was itching to start his third company. After founding and selling two startups, including Insent, which ZoomInfo acquired in 2021, he felt an insatiable urge to launch another venture. The spark that ignited this new endeavor was the emergence of ChatGPT, a conversational AI model.
The Birth of DocketAI
Pillai’s experience working at ZoomInfo had given him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by sales engineers and account executives. He noticed that these technical experts were often bogged down with routine questions from non-technical salespeople, which took away from their time to focus on more complex and strategic deals.
The Vision Behind DocketAI
DocketAI is an AI-powered virtual sales engineer designed to free up the time of technical sales experts. The platform helps non-technical sales teams obtain quick answers to technical questions, drafts requests for proposals (RFPs), and assists with other technical documents. Pillai emphasizes that DocketAI doesn’t replace human sales engineers but rather augments their capabilities.
How DocketAI Works
DocketAI’s AI engine integrates data from over 100 applications used by its software clients. This data is then ingested, indexed, and processed to provide fast answers to technical questions. Unlike other platforms that rely solely on structured data, DocketAI also learns from the actions of top salespeople, allowing it to scale best practices across organizations.
Key Features
- Knowledge Base: DocketAI’s AI engine integrates data from various sources, providing a comprehensive knowledge base for non-technical sales teams.
- Request for Proposal (RFP) Assistance: The platform assists in drafting RFPs and other technical documents, saving time and resources.
- Actionable Insights: DocketAI provides actionable insights to sales teams, enabling them to make informed decisions.
Impact on Sales Organizations
Pillai claims that organizations using DocketAI experience increased productivity and win rates. With the ability to scale best practices across the company, DocketAI helps sales teams focus on more complex and strategic deals.
Case Studies
- ZoomInfo: As one of Docket’s early adopters, ZoomInfo has seen significant improvements in its sales process.
- Demandbase: Another prominent customer, Demandbase, has reported increased productivity and win rates since implementing DocketAI.
Funding Round
In a recent development, DocketAI announced that it had raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Mayfield and Foundation Capital. This investment will help the company continue to develop its AI engine and expand its customer base.
The Future of Sales Engineering
DocketAI’s innovative approach to sales engineering is poised to revolutionize the industry. By leveraging generative AI, DocketAI has created a platform that can augment human capabilities, freeing up technical experts to focus on more strategic deals.
Conclusion
Arjun Pillai’s latest venture, DocketAI, is an exciting development in the world of sales engineering. With its innovative approach and robust features, DocketAI is well-positioned to make a significant impact on sales organizations worldwide.
By leveraging the power of generative AI, DocketAI has created a platform that can augment human capabilities, freeing up technical experts to focus on more strategic deals.
As the industry continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how DocketAI adapts and grows to meet the changing needs of its customers.
About the Author
Marina Temkin is a venture capital and startups reporter at TechCrunch. She has written extensively on VC for PitchBook and Venture Capital Journal and has a background in finance as a CFA charterholder.
