In a world where customer experiences are rapidly shifting toward digital-first engagements, few companies have been as intentional and innovative in leading that change as DaveAI. At the helm of this transformation is its co-founder and CEO, who, since 2016, has been steering the startup from a sales companion tool in retail stores to a powerful AI-driven platform enabling immersive, personalized digital experiences for global enterprises—particularly in the automotive sector.
In this conversation, we explore the journey of DaveAI, the pivotal decisions that shaped its evolution, and the vision driving its role in the future of automotive retail. From navigating early challenges to embracing emerging trends at the intersection of AI, IoT, and personalization, this interview provides valuable insights into building meaningful technology in a dynamic, high-growth space.
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Can you tell us about your journey?
We started DaveAI at the end of 2016, so it’s been about eight years now. Initially, we began as a sales companion product, working with physical retail stores for the first three years. Like any startup, we had our share of learnings during that phase, and we pivoted in 2019. Since then, we’ve been working with large enterprises, helping them transform their digital customer experiences.
Our core focus has been to understand how customers interact with brands—primarily through conversational experiences that help users discover products and make purchase decisions. We use a combination of conversational AI, personalization, and visualization technologies to help brands connect better with customers. This enables customers to discover products more effectively and make informed decisions, which ultimately drives revenue for our clients.
Today, we’re in our growth stage. Over the last three years, we’ve scaled rapidly—we’re a team of around 75 people now, working with over 30 enterprises, and we’re expanding globally.
What inspired your focus on intelligence and immersive product discovery in automotive retail?
Automotive is a complex category. Historically, buying a car was a purely offline experience—you’d visit showrooms, take test drives, and then decide. But that has changed significantly. Take Maruti Suzuki, for example—the market leader in India. They’ve digitized almost every step of the car buying journey. Out of 26 steps, around 24 are now digital.
Today’s buyers are digital natives—they research online, compare variants, choose colors, and finalize decisions even before they walk into a showroom. So, the discovery process has become digital-first. But this can’t be done through a traditional e-commerce website, because cars are complex and deeply personal purchases. Buyers need interactive, personalized experiences to understand features, clarify doubts, and visualize the product.
That’s where our expertise in personalization fit well. We were fortunate to work with Maruti Suzuki early on, and now we collaborate with several mobility players globally, enabling digital interventions across the pre- and post-purchase journey. We’ve seen strong product-market fit here, and it’s become a key growth area for us.
What challenges did you face while building DaveAI?
Initially, we assumed that physical stores were the primary touchpoints to enhance. But as we worked more closely with brands, and especially after COVID, it became evident that digital discovery was taking precedence. That shift helped us adapt quickly, thanks to our digital-first foundation.
We also learned that our platform works best with large enterprises. Small businesses don’t always have the data or scale needed to benefit from AI-driven personalization. So we repositioned ourselves as an enterprise-grade platform.
Scaling a startup also brings different challenges at different stages. From zero to one, it’s about achieving product-market fit. Then, as you grow, it’s about validating the solution with customers. And now, we’re on the one-to-hundred journey—focusing on scalable deployments beyond pilots and POCs. That’s where we’re investing heavily now.
How do you see AI transforming automotive retail and product discovery in the coming years?
Automotive is undergoing a major transformation, especially around three pillars: what customers buy, how they buy, and the underlying tech infrastructure.
First, the EV wave is changing the types of vehicles people buy. Second, the purchase journey itself has evolved—it’s now data-driven and digital-first. Third, enterprises are transitioning from legacy architectures to AI-native systems that are conversational and personalized.
Our tech stack is designed to support this transition. The automotive tech space is projected to grow significantly—currently valued at $50 billion and growing at 16–24% CAGR. We believe this is a huge opportunity, and we’re focusing deeply on it.
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What trends do you see at the intersection of AI, IoT, and automotive innovation?
One key trend is how the role of OEMs is changing. Earlier, the relationship between a customer and the auto OEM ended at the sale, and the dealer took over. But now, the OEM is with the customer throughout the journey—especially post-sale—thanks to connected technologies.
A lot of data is generated from how a customer uses their vehicle: travel patterns, preferences, destinations, etc. With proper consent, OEMs can use this data to personalize in-car experiences. Vehicles are evolving into smart, experiential spaces.
Especially in EVs, it’s not just about the drive anymore—it’s about the entire journey. Charging stations, wait time experiences, route planning—everything matters. We’re actively working on how brands can engage with customers inside the vehicle. That’s the future we’re building toward.
Automotive is no longer just about transportation—it’s about personalized experience?
Exactly. Even if you’re buying a mass-market car, you expect smart, intelligent features. Earlier, vehicles were utilitarian. Today, they’re experiential. Buyers want their car to understand them, assist them, and adapt to their needs.
And in premium segments or self-driving cars, the vehicle becomes a space where you live for a few hours. That opens up huge opportunities for innovation, personalization, and AI-driven engagement.
How do you balance innovation and market demand while building AI solutions?
It’s definitely a challenge. AI evolves rapidly, but we stay grounded in the problem we’re solving—improving customer experience during product discovery, purchase, and interaction.
Customer behavior and technology will always evolve. The key is staying close to the customer and using tech as an enabler, not just a buzzword. We avoid chasing hype cycles and instead focus on real, scalable solutions. To stay ahead, we collaborate with academia, explore tier 2 and 3 cities for talent, and optimize capital usage. Innovation requires persistence and resourcefulness.
As a co-founder and CEO, what leadership principles do you follow?
Two things: focus and people.
Startups are expected to scale fast, and the journey can feel chaotic. But you must stay focused on your mission. Don’t get distracted by competitors or market noise. Your journey is your own—respect it and be persistent.
Second, it’s all about the people. Building a culture of innovation, ownership, and trust is critical. Your team is your biggest asset. I’ve learned a lot through this journey, and so have my co-founders. It’s been a collaborative evolution.
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What advice would you give to startups entering the AI-driven automotive retail space?
Focus on solving real problems. There are foundational shifts happening—how people buy cars, how they interact with vehicles, how data is leveraged. Don’t just mimic global trends. Identify unique consumer insights and build solutions around them.
Also, balance your technological ambition with practical constraints. If you’re building from India with limited capital, you have to be sharp, patient, and resourceful. There’s no single right way—just back your instinct, trust your gut, and build what you believe in. That’s the only way forward.
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