Runo Secures $1.5 Million in Funding to Fuel Global Expansion and Product Innovation

• ByStartupStory     |    April 23, 2024

Hyderabad-based enterprise tech startup Runo has successfully closed a $1.5 million Pre-Series A funding round. The investment was led by Unicorn India Ventures and Callapina Capital, aiming to bolster the company’s international growth and product development. This funding follows a $500K seed round secured in 2022.

Founded in 2019 by Rajsekhar Pattnaik and Venkata Sai Vamsi Penupothu, Runo specializes in a mobile application that streamlines call management, contacts, and customer relationships. The app integrates seamlessly with major CRMs and lead sources to enhance lead management and outbound sales activities.

Anil Joshi, managing partner at Unicorn India Ventures, expressed confidence in Runo’s potential and mission. “With Runo’s established success track record, we decided to invest in the firm because of its solution, which allows businesses to achieve a greater conversion rate. With the increased use of modern technology, cloud-based CRM is gaining acceptance. CRM penetration will be driven by AI in the future years, and Runo is currently developing pioneering solutions in this area,” he stated.

The new funding will primarily be directed towards recruiting a senior management team focused on product and development, while also supporting Runo’s strategic push into the MENA region, the United States, and Canada.

Vinod Jose, co-founder and CEO of Callapina Capital, highlighted the timeliness and relevance of Runo’s offerings. “With remote work and scattered workforces becoming the norm in the post-pandemic era, there is an obvious need for novel tools and infrastructure to enable these shifts. Runo’s mobile-first solution is intelligently built to manage distributed workforces and increase productivity across a wide range of phone-based operations, from outbound and incoming call centers to sales and hiring initiatives,” Jose explained.

Rajsekhar Pattnaik, co-founder of Runo, shared optimistic projections for the company’s growth, forecasting a 7X increase in sales over the next eight quarters. He also noted the organic growth that has characterized the firm’s expansion so far: “Our client roster includes over 800 firms, ranging from tiny businesses to large enterprises like as Reliance Nippon, and the majority of these businesses came as organic leads. Using organic growth and client referrals, the company’s aim for the next two quarters is clear: double down on distribution and go-to-market tactics, and as we set our sights on the Middle East and Africa, Runo is positioned to redefine industry norms and serve a worldwide clientele.”

Venkata Sai Vamsi Penupothu detailed how the investment would enhance Runo’s product offerings. “The current cash injection will further strengthen Call Management CRM by mixing SIM-based call tracking with CRM, providing businesses with valuable customer insights. Our emphasis on AI integration in the product roadmap offers smarter call analytics, predictive customer behavior insights, and more efficient CRM operations,” he said.

This funding news comes amid a broader cooling of investor interest in enterprise tech startups, as evidenced by a significant drop in the number of deals from 292 in 2022 to 157 in 2023, marking a decline of over 46%.

Runo’s new capital influx and strategic expansion plans are set to position the company for continued innovation and global market penetration

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