Linq secures $20M to bring AI directly into text communication
Linq, a fast-growing startup founded by former ShipIt executives, has raised a fresh $20 million funding round to embed AI directly into everyday text communication channels such as SMS, email and workplace chat apps.
The company’s core idea is simple but ambitious: instead of forcing teams to log into separate dashboards or complex software, Linq injects intelligent automation into the tools people already use to communicate. This means that customer support, sales, logistics and operations teams can trigger workflows, retrieve data, or generate responses without ever leaving their messaging threads.
Former ShipIt leaders target the next wave of AI-native messaging
Founded by senior alumni of logistics platform ShipIt, including CEO John Doe and CTO Jane Smith, Linq is positioning itself at the intersection of conversational interfaces and enterprise automation. Drawing on their experience scaling high-volume operational systems, the team is building infrastructure that can handle millions of text-based interactions while respecting enterprise-grade reliability and security requirements.
The new capital will be used to expand engineering and product teams, deepen integrations with major CRM, helpdesk and workflow automation platforms, and extend support for more languages and regions. Early adopters span sectors such as e-commerce, logistics, and customer success, where staff are heavily reliant on text communication.
AI wired into SMS, email and chat
From passive messaging to active workflows
At the heart of Linq is a layer of AI models and natural language processing that can interpret messages, extract intent and trigger appropriate actions. A support agent answering a customer via SMS can, for example, ask the system in plain language to pull order history, initiate a refund, or schedule a delivery slot. The AI then calls relevant back-end systems and returns structured updates inside the same conversation.
This shift turns traditional text channels from passive communication tools into active control surfaces for business workflows. By reducing context switching and manual data entry, Linq aims to cut response times and operational costs while improving customer experience.
Privacy, compliance and the road ahead
As enterprises scrutinise how AI algorithms handle sensitive data, Linq is emphasizing privacy, data security and compliance as core differentiators. The platform is being built with configurable data retention policies, audit trails and role-based access controls to fit regulated industries.
With this $20 million raise, the ex-ShipIt leadership team is betting that the next major wave of enterprise software will not be another standalone app, but intelligent capabilities wired directly into the text channels workers already use every day.