Getting locked out of your work computer highlights how crucial, yet often backlogged, IT support can be. Recognizing this pain point firsthand, Andrei Serban founded Console to tackle the mountain of repetitive tasks burdening IT help desks. His vision, focused on AI automation, just secured $6.2 million in seed funding from Thrive Capital.
Serban's insight came during his tenure as a product lead at Rippling (after it acquired his previous startup, Fuzzbuzz). He saw the potential for AI to handle fundamental IT chores – password resets, granting application access like Figma or Miro, and basic troubleshooting – freeing up human professionals for more strategic work. Motivated to act, he left Rippling last year to launch Console.
While automating help desk functions isn't entirely novel, Console sets itself apart through remarkably simple deployment. Unlike competitors requiring lengthy, complex installations (such as Moveworks, recently acquired by ServiceNow), Console integrates directly with Slack. This allows companies to make its AI assistant available to all employees within mere weeks, without needing to replace existing help desk systems. "We're able to get there so fast because we don't require you to replace your help desk," Serban explained.
Positioned as an "AI co-worker," Console aims to enhance the capabilities of existing IT staff. Employees simply message the Console bot within Slack. The AI agent, equipped with knowledge of the user's specific devices (like their laptop model) and application permissions, can resolve over half of common requests autonomously. For more complex issues, it seamlessly escalates the task to a human IT team member.
This promise of rapid integration and effective automation has already attracted early customers, including notable names like Scale AI, Flock Safety, and Calendly. These successes paved the way for the $6.2 million seed investment from Thrive Capital.
Thrive partner Vince Hankes highlighted the firm's long-standing belief in AI's potential for IT support, dating back to ChatGPT's debut. He acknowledged that Console's lightweight integration might initially seem less entrenched than legacy systems. However, Hankes expressed confidence that Console's AI will rapidly improve through user interaction, becoming a deeply integrated and indispensable tool across customer organizations.
Looking beyond IT, Console envisions expanding its AI assistant to handle employee queries across other departments, including HR, finance, and legal. Serban's ultimate goal is clear: "We want Console to be an employee's first call for help," signifying a broader ambition to streamline enterprise support through accessible AI. This funding marks a significant step towards realizing that vision.