Seattle-based startup BirchAI, known for building software to improve customer support for healthcare companies, has been acquired by Denver-based health-tech company Sagility. BirchAI, founded in 2020 by CEO Kevin Terrell, CTO Yinhan Liu, and COO Sumant Kawale, was spun out of Seattle’s AI2 Incubator and raised $3.1 million in seed funding in January 2022. The acquisition will allow BirchAI to accelerate the development of healthcare-specific generative AI solutions for contact centers.
Kevin Terrell, BirchAI’s CEO, expressed his excitement about the acquisition on LinkedIn, thanking investors such as Radical Ventures, Flare Capital Partners, Washington Research Foundation, and AI Grant. BirchAI’s software uses natural language processing to summarize and analyze phone conversations between customers and representatives, generating a summary document that can be edited if necessary. This technology not only benefits healthcare companies but also supports customers in other industries such as insurance and banking.
Terrell highlighted the employee satisfaction aspect of BirchAI’s software, explaining that it eliminates tedious tasks, allowing employees to focus on conversations with customers. This ultimately leads to improved patient satisfaction, as employees can provide better support and attention to customer needs. Sagility’s acquisition of BirchAI aims to expand its healthcare engagement services by integrating BirchAI’s analytics and automation capabilities to cater to a variety of healthcare providers, including large national payers, Blues plans, regional payers, health systems, and medical devices.
With more than 34,000 employees across five countries, Sagility is well-positioned to leverage BirchAI’s technology to enhance its services in the healthcare industry. The terms of the acquisition deal were not disclosed, but both companies are optimistic about the opportunities it presents for further innovation and growth in the healthcare sector. BirchAI’s expertise in generative AI and natural language processing, combined with Sagility’s extensive reach and experience in the health-tech space, create a strong foundation for improving customer support and engagement in the healthcare industry.
The acquisition of BirchAI by Sagility marks a significant milestone for both companies, opening up new possibilities for collaboration and innovation in healthcare customer support. By joining forces, BirchAI and Sagility aim to leverage their respective strengths in AI technology and healthcare services to deliver more efficient and effective solutions for healthcare providers. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, the integration of advanced technologies like generative AI and natural language processing will play a crucial role in enhancing customer support and improving overall patient satisfaction.
