Avarra has successfully secured $8 million in funding to launch its innovative AI-avatar-based enterprise application, designed specifically to train human sales professionals.
Led by Lightspeed Venture Partners—one of our sponsors for the upcoming GamesBeat Next 2024 event in San Francisco on October 28-29—this funding round also includes investments from GTM Fund, Firsthand Alliance, and industry veterans like John W. Thompson.
In an interview, Avarra's CEO, David Knight, emphasized that this AI-driven sales trainer addresses a persistent challenge in sales training: the lengthy process of onboarding new salespeople. During a demonstration, Knight showcased an AI avatar that, despite lacking human-like facial movements, engaged in natural, extended dialogues with sales trainees, effectively evaluating their responses in real time.
Avarra's platform utilizes large-language models (LLMs) and realistic 3D avatars to simulate actual customer sales meetings. This approach allows sales professionals to gain valuable experience and targeted coaching in mere weeks rather than months, significantly enhancing productivity without jeopardizing real customer relationships.
"Advancements in LLMs and 3D avatars are creating a new wave of enterprise applications," stated Arif Janmohamed, partner at Lightspeed. "Avarra delivers a groundbreaking solution that sales teams can deploy immediately to tackle a multi-billion-dollar challenge and drive tangible business outcomes."
Despite substantial investments in sales enablement, new hires often take months to become effective due to traditional training focusing primarily on knowledge rather than practical experience. Avarra's realistic 3D AI avatars, developed from web-meeting transcripts and best-practice playbooks, allow sales representatives to participate in simulated customer calls via Zoom.
The feedback provided by the Avarra avatar salesperson is tailored to specific sales methodologies, giving new hires a risk-free environment to practice essential sales skills and drastically reducing the time and cost associated with onboarding.
"Simulation has transformed entire industries by decreasing cycle times and costs," Knight noted. "The combination of LLMs and 3D avatars brings simulation into complex human interactions like enterprise selling, enabling companies to expedite new hire training and product launches, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction."
Kyle Norton, Chief Revenue Officer of Owner.com, praised Avarra, saying, "We’re using Avarra to implement a new pitch and demo script across our sales team. It facilitates deep practice and helps our reps gain practical experience quickly and effectively, without sacrificing real prospects."
Founded in 2023, Avarra specializes in enterprise AI simulations that leverage 3D avatars for authentic customer interaction. Knight, a seasoned industry expert, explained that the technology adapts in real-time, creating dynamic conversations that are far from scripted.
This innovative tool allows sales representatives to practice their pitches in a safe environment, where mistakes won't cost real customers. A variety of customer personas can be simulated, providing extensive testing opportunities for different sales approaches.
The demo highlighted the platform's capabilities, featuring Knight's co-founder, Matt, who interacted with a virtual chief revenue officer character. The conversation covered critical sales topics, and after the session, an evaluation provided insights on both strengths and areas for improvement.
Knight mentioned that Avarra's technology is evolving, including features that display avatar emotions based on the trainee's performance—further enhancing the realism of the interactive experience.
While the voice technology has room for enhancement, the responsiveness of the avatars mirrors real human interactions closely. Avarra is poised to transform sales training and professional development through its groundbreaking approach.
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