Berlin startup turns AI-powered customer support into a revenue-driving sales engine

Konvo AI, a Berlin-based startup, has raised €3.5 million in seed funding to reshape the future of ecommerce customer service. The round was led by Samaipata, with participation from Abac Nest, JME, Itnig, Combination.vc, and new angel backers including Xavier Pladellorens (Deporvillage founder) and Tomás Pueyo (early Ankorstore executive). To date, Konvo has secured €4.3 million in total funding.

Unlike traditional chatbots that frustrate shoppers with scripted replies, Konvo develops autonomous AI agents that act like human sales associates. These agents don’t just respond — they proactively engage customers, solve complex issues, and even close sales. For example, instead of simply cancelling an order when a shopper selects the wrong size, Konvo’s AI updates the size, saving both the purchase and the customer relationship.

“Our agents think like people. If a package is marked as delivered but the customer never got it, our AI calls the courier directly to fix the problem,” explains co-founder Guillem Oliva. “We don’t build rigid workflows. We train agents on processes, give them skills, and let them decide the best action for each situation.”

From Athletes to AI Innovators

Konvo was founded by Guillem Oliva and Scott Kapelewski, who met at WhatsApp marketing startup Charles in Berlin. Oliva, a former McKinsey consultant with experience scaling ecommerce brands, teamed up with Kapelewski, a tech entrepreneur who previously built and sold an ecommerce solution during the sneaker release boom.

Both founders share a background as high-performance athletes, which Oliva says shaped their competitive drive. He also draws inspiration from his mother’s small retail shop: “She delivered amazing customer service. Later, I saw big ecommerce brands fail to match that — mostly due to lack of resources. AI gives us the chance to change that.”

Turning Cost Centres Into Sales Engines

The stakes are high. Ecommerce customer service is a $12.5 billion market growing at 10% annually, yet many support teams face soaring costs and high churn. Acquisition costs have jumped 5x, support team turnover reaches 40% annually, and 74% of customers expect personalised service that most brands can’t deliver.

“Customer service is often treated as a cost centre. We’re flipping it into a revenue engine through proactive AI agents,” says Oliva.

Competing to Lead the Market

Konvo sees two main competitors: established platforms like Zendesk and Gorgias, and newer AI-first startups. But Oliva argues that none are building truly proactive agents that take real-world action. “The race is about execution speed. We want to establish Konvo as the category leader,” he adds.

Looking Ahead

With a 13-person team representing 10 nationalities, including 25% women, Konvo operates from Berlin and Barcelona. The startup is now focused on becoming Europe’s leading AI agent platform for ecommerce, with ambitions for global expansion.

“Our long-term goal is simple,” Oliva concludes. “Every ecommerce brand should have AI agents that work like their best store associate — proactive, smart, and revenue-driving.”