Recently, a startup named Pinkfish has officially unveiled its AI-powered workflow automation software, designed to help businesses achieve digital transformation more efficiently. The software was co-founded by Charanya Kannan and Ben Rigby, with Kannan previously serving as the Chief Product Officer at Talkdesk, an AI customer service startup.
According to Kannan, many companies face significant challenges when trying to automate various workflows. These organizations are often constrained by legacy systems that lack modern application programming interfaces (APIs), making it difficult for IT departments to prioritize automation initiatives. She noted that numerous enterprises have accumulated hundreds or even thousands of unfulfilled automation requests.
To address these issues, Pinkfish developed a solution capable of creating AI agents and other AI-driven workflows using natural language prompts. The software integrates with over 200 applications, including Salesforce and Zendesk, while emphasizing deterministic execution—ensuring that identical user prompts consistently yield the same results.
Unlike its competitors, Pinkfish employs a measured approach in its sales strategy. Companies are encouraged to start by automating one or two workflows before gradually expanding their use. This method has already proven successful; since its stealth launch in January 2024, Pinkfish has attracted hundreds of users and notable enterprise clients such as Ipsy, Elevate, and Talkdesk.
Pinkfish focuses on sectors like retail and services, aiming to automate critical workflows. For instance, cosmetics subscription service Ipsy leverages Pinkfish to automate its price request function, which was previously handled manually by a team of three employees regardless of whether requests were received during off-hours. Now, the entire process is fully automated through Pinkfish.
Additionally, Pinkfish has announced the completion of a $7.6 million pre-seed funding round led by Norwest Venture Partners, with participation from Storm Ventures and several angel investors. Scott Beechuk, a partner at Norwest, will join Pinkfish's board of directors, expressing strong confidence in Kannan and Rigby's technical expertise and customer insights.
Pinkfish's competitive edge lies in its ability to combine natural language prompts with full-code backend development for AI workflows. Kannan believes that while low-code platforms gained popularity in recent years, they are now too restrictive for current needs. She highlighted that businesses increasingly seek solutions offering both full-code backend access and user-friendly interfaces.
