TAMPA, Fla.: #ArtificialIntelligence--STELLA™ Automotive AI, Inc. (“STELLA”), a provider of automotive artificial intelligence technology, announced the closing of its Series B financing round, which raised $22.1 million to accelerate commercial expansion, scale go-to-market initiatives and support continued product development.

The Presidio Group acted as exclusive financial advisor to STELLA for the Series B financing, supporting the company in securing capital from strategic partners across the automotive retail ecosystem. The raise consists of both newly invested capital and outstanding convertible notes that converted into the Series B financing. The round was led by Maroone USA.

“The support we've received from our investors reflects the momentum STELLA has built in automotive retailing and the confidence the market has in our vision,” said Rich Sands, CEO of STELLA. “Dealers are increasingly looking to artificial intelligence to strengthen customer engagement, operate more efficiently and create better experiences for their customers. This financing positions us to accelerate our growth, reach new clients and continue investing in new capabilities to help dealers drive measurable operating improvement.”

STELLA provides AI-powered customer engagement solutions purpose-built for auto dealerships, including inbound call handling, service scheduling, lead nurturing and outbound engagement. The STELLA platform leverages proprietary conversational AI to manage high-volume customer interaction, enabling dealerships to improve their responsiveness, capture incremental revenue and reduce operational costs. STELLA is integrated with leading dealership software platforms and improves productivity and efficiency across dealerships’ sales and service departments.

Building on capabilities first developed for inbound customer interactions, STELLA has expanded into outbound customer engagement with the launch of its Catalyst tool, creating a full-lifecycle engagement platform for dealerships. Catalyst positions dealerships to proactively drive service demand, re-engage idle customers and increase revenue opportunities.

“When evaluating technology investments, we look for products that can help dealers operate more efficiently and deliver a better customer experience,” said Michael Maroone, CEO of dealership group Maroone USA, an early adopter of STELLA technology and an investor in the company. “We've seen firsthand the impact STELLA has had in helping our dealerships improve both customer engagement and productivity. The products address real dealership needs, and the company’s continued growth reflects the value dealers are getting out of the technology. We're excited to support its continued expansion.”

Strategic investors with deep automotive retail expertise like Maroone provide STELLA with direct insight into dealership operations and evolving customer expectations, as well as real-time feedback on how its products are performing in the market. Such input is invaluable as STELLA works on product enhancements and expands its platform.

“As artificial intelligence moves rapidly from emerging technology to a core operating tool for auto retailers, tech providers that stay closely connected to their dealer customers are best positioned to refine their products and respond to changing needs,” said Brodie Cobb, CEO of The Presidio Group. “Dealers are increasingly looking for tools that can improve efficiency, strengthen customer interactions and generate measurable returns on investment. The strong support for this financing round reflects a growing conviction throughout the industry that AI will play a central role in the future of automotive retail - and that STELLA will be a key part of that story.”

About STELLA

STELLA™ Automotive AI, Inc. (“STELLA”) is a leading provider of automotive AI technology. STELLA, based in Tampa, Fla., helps auto dealers deliver a complete and intelligent customer experience via telephone, chat and web. STELLA’s digital assistant behaves like a staff member to complete repetitive tasks such as answering and routing phone calls, booking appointments and answering frequently asked questions about vehicle sales and service. STELLA sits on top of legacy software infrastructure and reports analytic information about customer behavior to the dealer. Dealership groups are adding STELLA to their stores every week with tens of thousands of customer calls being handled 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more about STELLA at www.stellaautomotive.com.

About The Presidio Group LLC

The Presidio Group was founded in 1998 with the simple mission to relentlessly put the interests of its clients first. By steadfastly adhering to this philosophy, the firm has earned the trust of clients throughout the United States. During their careers, the professionals at Presidio have collectively closed more than 320 transactions for nearly $22.5 billion. The Presidio Group, based in Denver and Atlanta, publishes research, industry insights and data reports about the automotive retail landscape. Presidio Merchant Partners LLC is a subsidiary of The Presidio Group LLC and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information on Presidio, visit www.thepresidiogroup.com.

Fonte: Business Wire