AI-driven startup Zoca, which aims to transform the growth journey of hyperlocal service businesses, has secured USD 6 million (~INR 51 crore) in a funding round led by global venture capital firm Accel, with participation from GTMfund, Elevation Capital, and Better Capital. The funding round marks a pivotal milestone in the startup’s mission to serve one of the most underserved segments in the digital economy: independent local service professionals.
Founded in 2024 by IIT Kharagpur alumni Ashish Verma and Robin Chauhan, Zoca offers an end-to-end AI-first growth platform designed specifically for businesses like salons, spas, wellness studios, florists, pet-care providers, and more—essentially anyone selling time-based services in a location-specific context.
“These entrepreneurs aren’t selling units; they’re selling time. Every empty chair is revenue lost forever,” remarked Ashish Verma, Co-founder and CEO. “Zoca’s mission is to make sure they’re fully booked—without lifting a finger.”
A Full-Stack AI Platform for Local Services
Zoca’s differentiator lies in its agent-based architecture, which automates the entire marketing funnel—from hyperlocal demand discovery to lead conversion, rebooking, and customer retention. These AI agents are trained on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Llama, and they handle a diverse range of tasks including:
- Local SEO optimization
- Paid advertising management
- Social media content generation
- Lead response via conversational AI
- Personalised SMS and email campaigns
This automation replaces what would typically require multiple software tools, agency retainers, and hours of weekly effort.
The startup also leverages its proprietary hyperlocal intelligence engine, which identifies micro-trends such as the popularity of specific services like “glycolic facial” or “lymphatic drainage massage” within a 5-mile radius—adjusting strategies to match neighbourhood-level demand.
Traction in Under a Year
Despite being less than a year old, Zoca has already helped over 1,000 local businesses—primarily in the beauty and wellness sector—generate more than USD 10 million (~INR 85 crore) in revenue and facilitate over 1,20,000 bookings. The startup currently operates primarily in the United States, though its development base remains in Bengaluru, employing around 54 team members.
“It’s not just about visibility,” Verma emphasized. “It’s about converting interest into revenue and ensuring clients come back—automatically.”
The platform’s recent addition of AI agents for paid advertising and social media management rounds out a comprehensive solution that many customers say has been transformative. In one case, a salon owner reported having to turn customers away within 30 days of deploying Zoca’s system due to the surge in bookings.
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Investor Endorsements & Future Roadmap
The USD 6 million (~INR 51 crore) injection will be channelled into expanding Zoca’s agent architecture, deeper platform integrations, and entry into new service verticals like pet care, dental services, and fitness training—where time-bound growth is also critical.
“Zoca is driving business outcomes in the USD 750 billion (~INR 63.78 lakh crore) global local services market,” said Manasi Shah, Vice President at Accel. “Ashish and Robin exhibit rare customer obsession and domain insight. Growth AI agents are just the beginning.”
Paul Irving, Partner at GTMfund, added: “Zoca allows local businesses to focus on what matters—delivering exceptional service—while AI quietly handles everything else. It’s a total game-changer.”
Poorvi Vijay, Principal at Elevation Capital, hailed Zoca as a “24/7 AI growth engine” that could soon become the operating system for hyperlocal services worldwide.
Looking ahead, Zoca also plans to roll out predictive staffing tools, helping businesses optimise employee schedules based on forecasted demand. The larger vision? A world where independent professionals, powered by invisible AI, compete at the level of enterprise-scale operations—without the complexity or cost.
About Zoca
Zoca is an AI-first growth platform purpose-built for local service providers. It automates demand identification, improves digital visibility, converts leads into appointments, and enhances client retention—all using a stack of AI agents. Since launch, it has saved hundreds of hours in manual marketing work and unlocked new growth for thousands of small businesses.
About Accel
Accel is a leading global venture capital firm with a strong presence in India since 2008. Known for early investments in game-changing companies such as Flipkart, Freshworks, Swiggy, and BrowserStack, Accel partners with ambitious founders from seed stage through all phases of private company growth.