Prezent just pulled off something unusual in the AI world - raising $30 million specifically to buy up services companies, starting with its founder's other business. The enterprise presentation startup, now valued at $400 million, is betting that combining AI tools with human expertise is the winning formula for corporate clients tired of generic automation.
Prezent is making a bold bet on the future of enterprise AI - and it involves buying up the competition rather than just building better software. The Los Altos startup just closed $30 million in funding led by Multiplier Capital, Greycroft, and Nomura Strategic Ventures, with the explicit goal of acquiring AI services firms to accelerate its enterprise penetration.
The timing couldn't be more strategic. While most AI presentation tools like Gamma and Presentations.ai chase consumers and small businesses, Prezent is doubling down on Fortune 500 clients who need more than pretty slides - they need industry-specific expertise baked into their AI tools.
"There are plenty of tools that are trying to make presentations pretty. We want to provide the best tools for business communications," founder Rajat Mishra told TechCrunch. "Presentation is one of the frontiers in businesses that is not automated yet."
The company's first acquisition reveals just how personal this strategy is. Prezent bought Prezentium, a life sciences presentation services firm that Mishra himself co-founded and has been running as non-operating President. The unusual arrangement essentially merges his two companies under one roof, giving Prezent immediate access to Prezentium's pharma and biotech client base.
This isn't just about consolidation - it's about solving AI's biggest enterprise problem. "The reality of AI in enterprise is that while AI can do many things, it can't teach people how to use AI," Mishra explained to TechCrunch. That's why Prezent embeds "presentation engineers" directly in client companies - specialists who understand both the industry and the AI tools.
The acquisition strategy reflects a broader shift in the AI startup landscape. Digital avatar company , while Google-backed legal tech startup Lawhive bought a UK law firm. The pattern is clear: AI companies are realizing that technology alone isn't enough to crack enterprise accounts.
