Relay lands $36M Series C led by customer International Paper
What's the deal? Relay, a maker of communication tools for frontline workers, has raised $36 million in a Series C round led by International PaperDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the company said. The round brings total capital raised to over $90 million.
Who's backing it? New investors include Cerity PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Harmonic Growth PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Thayer Investment PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Earlier lead investors G2 Venture PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Wind River VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → also increased their stakes.
The Raleigh-based company describes itself as a "system of action for physical operations." Workers pick up a radio and push to talk, while behind the interaction sits cloud communications, AI, real-time translation, location awareness, and automated workflows in durable hardware.
Why it matters: Companies have spent billions digitising physical operations, yet frontline teams still work with analog tools or software built for the desk. Relay argues valuable operational knowledge lives in what workers say aloud, not what gets typed into formal systems.
Its own research of 500 manufacturing professionals found 57% say their most important communication happens out loud, in person. Only 17% said nearly everything workers notice ends up in a log or report. Relay calls the gap "signal evaporation," and 79% said communication breakdowns cause delays, rework, or missed handoffs at least a few times a month.
What stands out? The round's lead investor is also a customer. "It's a powerful endorsement when customers aren't just buying your system but are also betting on the company behind it," said chief executive officer and co-founder Chris Chuang.
International Paper, a Fortune 500 packaging maker with more than 125 years of manufacturing experience, runs Relay across its industrial sites. Thayer brings hospitality perspective from hotel brands that already use Relay across thousands of properties.
The signal: At $36 million, the round sits in the upper tier for its stage, and its investor mix points to where frontline software is heading — with industrial and hospitality operators funding the tools they deploy, not just watching from the sidelines.
Read more: prnewswire.com
Image credit: RELAY
