Investor Retrospective · Accel
Product
MessageBird's global messaging API is powered by direct connections to over 220 carriers worldwide.
Sameer’s ridesharing experience in Singapore, meanwhile, was powered by MessageBird, whose global messaging API is underpinned by direct connections to more than 220 carriers around the globe.
Traction
MessageBird bootstrapped to reach a $100 million run rate profitably while establishing carrier integrations in 140 countries.
founder and CEO Robert Vis spent the last 6 years flying around the world setting up direct integrations with carriers in 140 countries, all the while bootstrapping a company that will reach a $100m run rate this year, profitably.
Team
MessageBird's leadership team exemplifies dedicated bootstrappers focused on product quality and customer satisfaction.
Robert and his team are the prototypical bootstrappers we look for at Accel, relentlessly committed to product quality and customer satisfaction.
Business model
MessageBird offers direct carrier integrations that deliver higher reliability and security at lower cost by eliminating intermediary fees.
The value prop to customers is simple: more reliable and secure communications (thanks to direct carrier integrations) at a lower cost (thanks to avoiding the micro-tolls at every handoff in a multi-hop arrangement).
Investment context
Accel announced a $60 million Series A investment into MessageBird, the largest Series A for a European software company and Y-Combinator alum.
And today we are excited to announce a $60 million investment into their company — the largest ever series A into a European software company, and the largest series A for a Y-Combinator alum.
What founders can learn
- The traction evidence that carried weight: Accel wrote that MessageBird bootstrapped to reach a $100 million run rate profitably while establishing carrier integrations in 140 countries.
- How the team was judged: Accel wrote that MessageBird's leadership team exemplifies dedicated bootstrappers focused on product quality and customer satisfaction.
- How the model was assessed: Accel wrote that MessageBird offers direct carrier integrations that deliver higher reliability and security at lower cost by eliminating intermediary fees.
Source and provenance
Investor Retrospective published by Accel on accel.com. Read the original
