Applied Labs, an emerging leader in AI-powered support and operations solutions, has raised $4.2 million in a seed funding round to address a pressing problem for businesses: unreliable AI solutions. Founded by Scale AI veterans Michael Wu and Soham Vechal, the company is building highly reliable AI agents that can handle complex, critical workflows with unmatched accuracy.
The funding round was led by Abstract, with participation from Point72 Ventures, Outlander and Tetra, as well as leading angel investors including Versal CEO Guillermo Rauch, Model CTO Akshat Bubna, and ex-Twitter executive Ali Roghani. This makes the total funding of the company $5.2 million Since its inception in January 2024.
Tackling AI deployment challenges
In a world where companies are under increasing pressure to adopt AI, Applied Labs aims to bridge the gap between ambition and execution. Traditional AI solutions often fail in reliability and lack the ability to manage complex workflows. “The bottleneck is no longer a model,” Said Michael Wu, CEO of Applied Labs, “The challenge is in the data, tools, and platforms for teams to easily deploy and perfect AI agents on their business-critical workflows.”
Applied Labs AI is positioned to empower businesses with AI-powered operational solutions tailored to customer support agents and personalized knowledge bases. These agents are equipped with AI actions for both first-party and third-party integrations, providing a seamless experience. Despite AI’s capabilities, woo Emphasis is placed on a “human-in-the-loop” approach to maintaining quality and handling edge cases.
“AI allows you to make your best human decisions on countless tasks,” woo Explained. “But human judgment is still required to get the best quality results and handle edge cases.”
Applied Labs Vision
Founded in 2024, Applied Labs is on a mission to create extraordinary AI agents that solve real-world problems. The company believes in combining human creativity with artificial intelligence to unlock incredible possibilities, creating tools that not only solve challenges but also advance the way businesses operate. Applied Labs partners with ambitious companies – from the world’s largest enterprises to modern small businesses – to build AI support and operations agents that deliver reliability and scalability.
The team, spanning across North America and Asia, is united by their passion for innovation and a commitment to fostering a culture that fosters creativity and intelligence. “We are not just building technology; We’re creating experiences that enrich lives and inspire change.” company State. Applied Labs envisions a future where AI-powered breakthroughs will become the norm, redefining how businesses operate on a global scale.
Key Differentiators and Solutions
Leveraging its expertise gained from Scale AI, Applied Labs has developed an innovative platform that combines three critical components:
- omnichannel interactions – AI agents manage 100% of customer interaction volume spanning chat, email and phone.
- Sophisticated AI Orchestration – Agents are able to handle complex question-and-answer scenarios and complex workflows.
- Comprehensive Assessment Tool – Built-in auditing, testing and monitoring systems ensure high quality results.
This robust solution is based on real-time dashboards, automated quality checks, and human oversight, ensuring that enterprises can rely on Applied Labs to handle critical tasks without compromising trust.
From scale AI to applied labs
Both founders bring exceptional credentials. Michael Wu was an early hire at Scale AI, leading a 30-person team dedicated to enhancing operational workflows. Soham Vaychal, who holds five AI patents, previously led engineering at a16z-enabled Canalys. Together, they are focused on creating reliable, high-quality AI agents that are intuitive to use.
The importance of quality and trust is deeply embedded with the team. “At scale, like when we first created AI labeling or self-driving cars, scaling poorly thought-out AI workflows can cause serious harm,” woo Said. Applied Labs builds guardrails to prevent these risks and uses rigorous monitoring systems, ensuring AI deployments are safe and effective.
essence support
Abstract, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with $1.5 billion in assets under management, led the funding round. Since its founding in 2016, Abstract has invested in several high-growth companies, including Solana, Ripple, and Garner Health. The company is sector-agnostic, focusing on seed and early-stage founders and claims a reputation for its loyalty, connections, and commitment to helping founders succeed.
“Few founders really understand the operational complexities of deploying AI in mission-critical workflows. Michael’s experience managing Scale AI’s core data product brings a rare fusion of technical acumen and practical experience. Applied Labs’ commitment to connecting trust with capability is exactly what enterprises need to confidently embrace AI-powered customer support,” Said Ramtin Naimi, Founder and General Partner of Abstract.
Revolutionizing Support and Operations
Applied Labs’ digital employees redefine what AI can achieve in business operations. Key features of the platform include:
- Quick deployment and ROI – Businesses can see measurable productivity increases in just a few days.
- self-learning system – AI agents continuously adapt and improve, capturing best practices in real time.
- omnichannel engagement – The platform integrates chat, email, phone, and social channels into one unified inbox.
- smart escalation – Seamlessly delivers complex issues to human agents for decision calls.
- Visual Workflow Automation – Businesses can create sophisticated AI workflows using a no-code visual canvas.
The potential impact is staggering, with AI agents able to resolve customer inquiries in seconds, automate refunds, and manage operational workflows with enterprise-grade reliability.
looking ahead
Applied Labs isn’t just pursuing efficiency; This is ushering in a new era where AI and human intelligence work in harmony. The company aims to create “Digital Worker” Which combines machine efficiency with human decision-making, opening up new possibilities for enterprises of all sizes.
“For companies, there is increased interest from the C-suite and boardroom in the question, what is our AI strategy?” woo Said“If you’re not using AI agents like us, you’re falling behind.”
The platform’s real-time monitoring, assessment tools, and SOC 2 compliance make it enterprise-ready, while its modular design ensures scalability across industries. From customer support excellence to finance automation, Applied Labs is changing the way work is done.
