AddStructure, a startup that's building tools to let customers shop for things online using voice commands, has been acquired by Bazaarvoice, an Austin-based marketing tech company.
Chicago-based AddStructure, which launched in 2014, uses machine learning and natural language processing to give brands intelligent digital assistants to help customers find and purchase products. It has quickly caught on with e-commerce companies, and was one of ten startups selected to the first-ever Target+Techstars retail accelerator in Minneapolis. It's also working with Target on a natural language online shopping tool.
AddStructure also counts Best Buy as a customer and investor. The startup has raised a total of $2.4 million to date, according to Crunchbase. Its other investors include Dundee Venture Capital, Techstars, Matchstick Ventures, Service Provider Capital and OCA Ventures.
Terms of the Bazaarvoice acquisition were not disclosed, but AddStructure said the company will continue to operate out of its Chicago and New York offices. AddStructure’s employees will join Bazaarvoice’s product, engineering and client success teams.
Noticing deficiencies with Siri and Amazon's in-app voice shopping feature, AddStructure set out to create a better way for shoppers to use natural language to search for products.
“We created AddStructure to make it easy and convenient for consumers to discover products across any shopping channel and on any device,” Jarrod Wolf, CEO of AddStructure, said in a statement. “We’re excited to join Bazaarvoice because of their extensive experience in the ratings and reviews space and their impressive network of brand and retail websites."
Founded in 2005, Bazaarvoice went public in 2012 and grew to one of Austin's most notable tech companies. In November, Bazaarvoice agreed to a $521 million buyout by Marlin Equity Partners, a Los Angeles-based investment firm.
“AddStructure’s advanced capabilities in natural language processing and machine learning are an incredible addition to our product portfolio and we are excited to partner with the AddStructure team to bring innovative e-commerce solutions to market and deliver tremendous value to our clients," Gene Austin, CEO of Bazaarvoice, added in the statement.
