Indianapolis-based tech startup Sharpen secures $12 million in funding to grow its agent-first omnichannel cloud contact center platform

Sharpen Technologies, an Indianapolis, Indiana-based tech startup, and developer of a cloud-native platform for contact center agents, today announced it has raised $12 million in capital growth funding. The round, which brings the total amount raised by Sharpen to over $40 million, was backed by Allos Ventures LLC, Cultivation Capital, and Lightchain LLC, the family office of Rodger Riney, founder and former CEO of Scottrade.

Founded in 2011, Sharpen Technologies is the world’s first, truly agent-focused contact center platform built in the cloud for the cloud. The omnichannel platform lets users work-from-anywhere, seamlessly moving between calls, texts, webchats, emails, social media, video, etc. all in real-time and in a single interaction.

Sharpen has developed a holistic solution designed to eliminate common inefficiencies that ultimately impact the agent, their quality of life, and their ability to provide a perfect customer experience. By creating a platform that addresses the needs of both IT and the contact center, agents are more prepared and better trained to do their job. Sharpen’s open REST APIs enable companies to use the Sharpen platform as the foundation on which to configure solutions to solve their customer service problems.

The latest financing comes following a strong 1H 2020, with a 236% increase in new bookings compared to 1H 2019. At the same time, Sharpen was named to the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America, due to its growth rate of 137% over the last three years.

“Since we first invested, we’ve seen Sharpen grow into a best-in-class cloud contact center platform that allows agents to work-from-anywhere in the world,” stated David Kerr, Managing Director, Allos Ventures. “We are thrilled to participate in this new round that will allow the company to build on its rapid growth while continuing to innovate on its agent-first platform and provide its high-touch, hands-on approach to service that distinguishes it in the marketplace.”

According to Gartner, prior to the pandemic, only 15% of the estimated $24 billion contact center market had transitioned to the cloud. And new industry data from the research firm finds that 35% of the customer experience (CX) workforce will work-from-home by 2023, up from 5% in 2017. “Our cloud-based platform is in the nexus of these two business opportunities,” Gildea noted. “We are uniquely positioned to succeed in this rapidly growing marketplace predicted to explode in value over the next five years.”