Photon held a funeral for mobile apps. Now it has $4.5M to help replace them with agents
techcrunch ·
AI startup Photon has secured $4.5 million in seed funding to develop agents that operate within existing messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, aiming to replace traditional mobile applications. The company recently held a symbolic funeral for mobile apps in San Francisco, reflecting CEO Daniel Tian's belief that the shift toward agent-based interactions is inevitable. Photon provides developers with tools such as a unified API and CLI to build agent experiences across various channels including SMS, email, and voice. Founded by Daniel Tian and Ryan Zhu, the startup grew from an open-source project that gained thousands of users to a managed platform serving over 40,000 developer sign-ups. The company reports a tenfold revenue increase in four months, low churn rates, and significant growth in messaging volume. Notable customers include Corgi Insurance, Boardy, and Ditto, while integration partners include Vercel and Nous Research. Investors in the round include Gradient, A*, HongShan, and Vercel. Looking ahead, Photon envisions a future where agents communicate directly with one another to facilitate complex tasks for users.
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