A Tampa company that specializes in artificial intelligence for the automotive industry has closed a seed funding round.
Stella Automotive AI Inc. closed the $4 million seed round, according to a June 23 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Investors include Maroone USA, the Pohanka Automotive Group, Czubay Family Enterprises and The Presidio Group LLC, according to a release. Presidio is the exclusive financial advisor to Stella since its inception in 2022.
“We are thrilled to partner with our new investors as we continue to enhance our product offerings and deliver a world-class customer experience,” said Stella founder Josselyn Boudett in the release. “Putting dealers first has been the key to the speed of our growth, and this inaugural investment is an important milestone to help Stella extend its leadership role in the new market category of conversational AI.”
Boudett is also the founder of Telepathy Labs Inc. in Tampa. Telepathy launched Stella Automotive AI in 2022.
Stella specializes in giving auto dealers customer service options via telephone, chat and web. The investment will help the company focus on sales, market share and new products.
“The commitment by this new investor group cements what we already know. STELLA makes dealerships more efficient and profitable almost overnight,” said Presidio CEO Brodie Cobb. Presidio has offices in Denver and Atlanta.
