US-based startup Linq has raised $20 million in new funding as it pivots to help AI assistants work directly inside everyday messaging apps such as iMessage, RCS, and SMS.
The Series A round was led by TQ Ventures, with participation from Mucker Capital and several angel investors. The fresh funding will be used to expand the team, refine the product, and build a stronger go-to-market strategy focused on AI developers and companies building conversational tools.
From digital cards to messaging tech
Linq was founded by former Shipt executives Elliott Potter, Patrick Sullivan, and Jared Mattsson in Birmingham, Alabama, and initially launched as a digital business card and lead-capture tool for sales teams.
After a few pivots, the startup found strong demand in 2025 by helping businesses upgrade customer communication from basic SMS to richer formats like iMessage and RCS.
The key appeal was authenticity. Traditional business texts often feel impersonal, but Linq’s API lets companies message customers more naturally, with features like images, emojis, voice notes, group chats, and threaded replies.
AI agents drive the next pivot
Linq’s direction changed again with the rise of AI assistants. Interest surged after the launch of Poke, an AI assistant that lets users complete tasks and manage schedules directly inside iMessage.
As Poke gained attention, Linq began receiving requests from AI startups seeking to deploy assistants within messaging apps rather than build separate apps. That demand pushed Linq to reposition itself as infrastructure for AI-driven conversations.
Since pivoting toward AI messaging infrastructure, Linq says its customer base has grown 132% quarter over quarter. Existing customers have also expanded their usage, with average account growth of 34%.
The company says AI agents built on its platform now reach about 134,000 monthly active users. Linq processes more than 30 million messages per month and reports strong customer retention with no churn to date.
