In today's modern workplace, the importance of IT support is self-evident. Whenever employees encounter situations like their computers being locked or being unable to access applications, they always eagerly hope to get in touch with IT support. However, help desk staff are often busy handling other requests, which may result in employees not receiving timely support.
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Andrei Serban, who was once the product leader of the Applications and Integrations Team at Rippling, founded a security coding startup called Fuzzbuzz before being acquired by Rippling in 2023. During his time at Rippling, Serban realized the importance of tedious manual work carried out by IT teams. Therefore, he decided to create a startup named Console, aiming to automate basic tasks of the help desk through artificial intelligence, such as resetting passwords, authorizing application access, and routine troubleshooting.
Although automating help desk functions is not a new concept, Console distinguishes itself from existing competitors (such as Moveworks) by simplifying the installation process. The easy integration with Slack allows its AI assistant to be provided to all company employees within just a few weeks. Serban said, "We were able to achieve this so quickly because we didn't require users to replace their help desk systems."
Console aims to become an AI partner for IT staff, helping them improve efficiency. As enterprises continue to digitalize, the status of IT functions will become increasingly important. Employees can interact with Console via Slack, and this AI assistant can quickly respond to requests, understand specific laptop models and the applications users are allowed to use. According to Serban, Console’s AI can independently handle more than 50% of tasks, and for more complex issues, it will transfer requests to IT personnel for handling.
The rapid installation time has attracted multiple clients, including Scale AI, Flock Safety, and Calendly. Consequently, Console recently received a $6.2 million seed funding from Thrive Capital. Thrive's partner Vince Hankes said that since the release of ChatGPT in the fall of 2022, Thrive has been optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence in IT tasks.
Hankes admitted that Console's quick integration might make it seem easily replaceable, but he believes that as user adoption grows, its AI technology will rapidly improve, becoming an indispensable, deeply integrated system for client companies. Console's ultimate goal is to support other functions, including answering employee requests related to human resources, finance, and legal matters.
"We want Console to become the first choice for employees seeking help," Serban concluded.
Key Points:
📈 Console received $6.2 million in seed funding, aiming to simplify repetitive tasks for IT teams through AI.
🤖 Console integrates seamlessly with Slack, providing services to all employees in a short period.
🔍 Console plans to expand its support scope, helping employees handle HR, finance, and legal issues in the future.
