Gupshup's $60M Boost: Navigating Unicorn Status and AI Messaging Expansion

Gupshup, a pioneer in business messaging, has recently secured over $60 million in a new funding round, blending equity and debt. This comes four years after achieving the coveted unicorn status with a $1.4 billion valuation. Despite Fidelity's internal valuation cuts reducing it to as low as $486 million, Gupshup remains focused on growth and innovation.

Funding and Expansion

The latest round, led by Globespan Capital Partners and EvolutionX Debt Capital, is aimed at bolstering Gupshup's presence in high-growth markets like India, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. With the equity portion being "a little more than half," the startup is tight-lipped about the exact debt figures.

Evolution and AI Integration

Starting as a text messaging platform in 2004, Gupshup has evolved to embrace WhatsApp and RCS, offering chatbot services. Now, with the rise of AI agents, Gupshup is enabling businesses to deploy these agents for enhanced customer interaction. "There’s a lot of demand coming from enterprises," says CEO Beerud Seth, highlighting the need for customized AI solutions.

Competitive Edge and Future Plans

With over 50,000 customers across 100+ countries, Gupshup leverages its extensive experience and strategic acquisitions to stay ahead. The startup has tripled its revenue since its last funding in 2021 and is eyeing an IPO in the next 18–24 months, potentially on Indian stock exchanges to capitalize on local market familiarity.

Key Products:

• Click-to-chat ads
• AI campaign copilot
• Agent assist
• Campaign manager

Gupshup powers over 120 billion messages annually, serving industries from banking to e-commerce. As Seth puts it, "We operate ourselves like we are going to be a big company."