Valyant AI

About Valyant AI

Valyant AI develops a conversational artificial intelligence platform named "Holly" for the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry. Founded in 2017 by CEO Rob Carpenter, the Denver-based company's mission was to reduce customer wait times, increase upsell opportunities, and improve operational efficiencies for restaurants. Carpenter, a serial entrepreneur with an MBA in Enterprise Technology Management, was inspired to create Valyant AI after a visit to the British History Museum. The initial idea was to build holographic digital employees, but he pivoted to conversational AI to first develop the underlying technology.

The company’s main offering is an AI-powered voice assistant that integrates with existing drive-thru hardware, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and other platforms like mobile, web, and kiosks. The technology is designed to take customer orders, answer questions, and handle upsells, freeing up employees to focus on food preparation and customer fulfillment. By automating the order-taking process, the platform helps restaurants manage labor shortages, reduce service times by 10-25%, and increase average order size through consistent upselling. Valyant AI serves QSR chains and franchisees, with notable clients including Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard and Checkers & Rally's. Its business model involves providing the AI as a service that integrates into a restaurant's existing infrastructure.

Throughout its history, Valyant AI raised a total of $17 million over several funding rounds, including seed and Series A investments, with NRD Capital as a key institutional investor. In July 2024, ConverseNow, a provider of voice AI solutions for restaurants, acquired Valyant AI to combine their technological capabilities and accelerate the deployment of AI in the QSR sector. Following the acquisition, Valyant AI continues to operate as part of ConverseNow, which plans to integrate Valyant's technology, including its proprietary hardware and an "AI Employee Assist" product.