Cloud-based communications platform Relay today announced $35 million in Series B funding. The funding is being led by G2 Venture Partners, along with participation from existing investors including Wind River Ventures and Sovereign’s Capital.
The new funding will be used to spur expansion of the company, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, into new markets and to “accelerate its product roadmap,” according to a release.
Relay produces Relay+, a cloud-connected communication device designed for deskless workers in industries such as hospitality, healthcare, facilities management, education, manufacturing and warehousing.
“This funding round marks an inflection point for Relay, as we look toward our next stage of growth,” said Relay CEO Chris Chuang. “Our team is on a mission to unleash frontline productivity with our transformative breakthrough technology. Importantly, we are making these innovations accessible for the first time to traditionally disconnected frontline teams through the unique simplicity, reliability, and affordability of our solution. Relay enables frontline teams to seamlessly connect no matter where they are, what device they are using, or even what language they speak. And, we do all this in an affordable model through which businesses can see rapid time-to-value.”
Relay claims that its communication device can replace traditional two-way radios and initiate safety alerts that notify relevant staff and provide exact locations for issues. Incidents are then logged into Relay’s cloud and reviewed for operational improvement purposes.
Relay uses multiple cellular networks and WiFi to provide maximum reliability and nationwide coverage on a turnkey basis. Its platform is accessible via a smartphone app or web interface, enabling frontline teams in different locations to connect regardless of the device they are on.
Relay+ was developed by the creators of Republic Wireless, a prepaid carrier.
“Relay has an exceptional customer-focused team that has built a platform for frontline workers that its users love,” said G2 Venture Partners partner David Mount, who will join the Relay board of directors. “As we spoke to customers, we heard time and again that Relay is delivering increased connectivity, safety and productivity among frontline workers. Its product ushers in a significant paradigm shift for customers who have not seen substantial innovation around communications devices for decades. Relay’s modern product and customer-first approach are driving outstanding growth for the company. The platform empowers frontline workers to do their best work, whether in hospitals, hotels, warehouses, or manufacturing environments. We are excited to partner with Relay in their next phase of growth, modernizing frontline work throughout the economy.”
According to the company, 72% of Relay customers report that Relay+ enables them to be more responsive to customers’ needs; 77% of customers report that Relay helps efficiency, both by through more effective communication and automating error-prone tasks such as logging security rounds or automatically recording task completion.
Relay currently serves thousands of frontline businesses and deskless workers who have exchanged more than 2.5 billion messages using the Relay platform.
“We received overwhelming investor interest in our Series B round, and are thrilled that the process enabled us to find the perfect partner in G2, whom we are confident can help us accelerate our vision to connect millions of frontline workers and give them access to the transformative power of the cloud to make their work safer and more productive,” Chuang said.
The Series B funding follows the April 2024 launch of TeamTranslate, Relay’s translation product that uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect and translate voice and text messages to each team member’s preferred language.
In 2023, Relay raised a $13M Series A funding round.
