Ando aims to challenge Slack with a team messaging app that integrates human and AI agent collaboration
The app is designed to allow seamless interaction between humans and AI agents, addressing limitations in current platforms like Slack and Teams. Ando has raised $20 million in funding to develop the platform.
Ando is developing a team messaging app that enables seamless collaboration between humans and AI agents, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Slack. The platform is designed to overcome the limitations of existing communication tools, which were built for a world that is increasingly being outpaced by AI advancements. This approach aims to provide more efficient and scalable communication solutions for modern workplaces.
The idea for Ando emerged during Sara Du's work in 2025, where she encountered repeated requests from companies to integrate AI agents into Slack. However, technical challenges such as moving messages between platforms and managing context without excessive token usage made this integration difficult. Du's experience highlighted a fundamental flaw in how communication platforms were designed for AI integration.
Du noted that Slack and Teams were built for a world that was starting to pass them by, as the demand for AI-driven communication tools grows. Ando's platform aims to address these shortcomings by creating a more agent-friendly environment. The company has raised $20 million in pre-seed and seed funding from investors including Accel, Index Ventures, and Emergence, signaling confidence in its vision.
The emergence of Ando could disrupt the current landscape of workplace communication tools, as major players like Slack have already begun integrating AI agents. However, Ando's focus on seamless human-agent collaboration may offer a more tailored solution. This could lead to increased competition, higher costs for users, and potential vendor lock-in as companies adopt new platforms. The market may also see shifts in governance and control over AI-driven communication systems.
Despite the progress made by Ando, the platform is still in its early stages of development. The company faces challenges in proving its value proposition against established competitors like Slack and Microsoft's Teams. However, the growing demand for AI integration in workplace tools suggests that Ando's approach could gain traction over time, reshaping how teams interact in the digital age.