Sinch AB (publ), a global leader in cloud communications for mobile customer engagement, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Chatlayer BV for an Enterprise Value of EUR 6.9 million.
Founded in Antwerp in early 2018, ChatLayer.ai is a cloud-based software platform that lets businesses create multi-lingual chatbots and voicebots using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU). The platform enables intelligent two-way conversations between businesses and their customers across multiple communications channels like mobile sms messaging, voice, and web chat.
“Cloud communications and mobile technology fundamentally transforms how brands can engage with their customers. We are now seeing how next-generation messaging channels, which are designed to be conversational, are creating new opportunities for brands to enrich their customer experience. Growing our capabilities in AI and NLU is an important way for Sinch to ensure that our enterprise customers and channel partners can fully realize this opportunity”, comments Oscar Werner, CEO of Sinch.
Whereas first-generation chatbot implementations rely on simplistic scripts and keyword analysis, intelligent conversational AI leverages Natural Language Understanding to determine what a person wants to achieve when she engages with a business through text or voice chat. This creates a step-change in usability, fuels productivity, and means that live agents can focus on the smaller number of complex questions that the chatbot is unable to resolve.
Like Sinch, Chatlayer has a Go-To-Market model that leverages multiple channel partners in addition to direct field sales. Strong partnerships are particularly important when deploying AI and NLU-based tools for businesses with advanced requirements and in situations which may require specialist expertise in system integration and conversational design.
The Chatlayer.ai SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platform is currently used by a range of enterprise customers including Belgian bank Belfius and insurance leader Foyer, and the company has established partnership relationships with companies like Proximus, Ordina and KPMG. Recurring revenue is growing rapidly. In 2019, Chatlayer generated revenues of EUR 0.8 million, Gross Profit of EUR 0.7 million, and EBITDA of EUR -0.9 million. The company is based in Antwerp and currently employs 17 people.
“We have built a platform that leverages AI and NLU to improve customer experience and drive measurable business outcomes. We are excited to partner with Sinch who adds deep mobile expertise and can help scale our offering to an international audience”, comments Rick van Esch, Chatlayer CEO.
The transaction is expected to close in April 2020 and will be financed using Sinch’s available cash at hand. Sinch has a financial target to maintain net debt/adjusted EBITDA below 2.5x over time. As of Q4 2019, net debt/adjusted EBITDA was 1.7x when measured on a rolling, twelve-month basis. All else equal, the acquisition of Chatlayer increases Sinch’s net debt/EBITDA by 0.1x to 1.8x.
Founded in 2018, Chatlayer is a platform to build high-performing chat- and voicebots that work in 100+ language. Its custom-built AI ensures superior Natural Language Understanding and provides business users with actionable insights and advice on how to improve bot performance before and after the bot is deployed. Find out more at chatlayer.ai.
When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience.
Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Cookie Statement
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.
Cookie details
Cookie Subgroup | Cookies | Cookies used |
---|---|---|
eu5.mm.sdi.sinch.com | ASP.NET_SessionId | First Party |
community.sinch.com | AWSALB , LiSESSIONID | First Party |
appengage.sinch.com | dd_cookie_test_ | First Party |
tickets.sinch.com | atlassian.xsrf.token , JSESSIONID | First Party |
cockpit2.sinch.com | SESSION | First Party |
engage.sinch.com | instapage-variant-xxxxxxxx | First Party |
dashboard.sinch.com | cookietest | First Party |
brand.sinch.com | PHPSESSID , AWSALBCORS | First Party |
sinch.com | __cf_bm , OptanonConsent , TEST_AMCV_COOKIE_WRITE , OptanonAlertBoxClosed , onesaasCookieSettings, QueryString, functional-cookies, performance-cookies, targeting-cookies, social-cookies lastExternalReferrer, lastExternalReferrertime, cookies, receive-cookie-deprecation _gdvisitor, _gd_session, _gcl_au, _fbp, _an_uid, _utm_zzses, lpv | First Party |
mediabrief.com | __cf_bm | Third Party |
recaptcha.net | _GRECAPTCHA | Third Party |
cision.com | __cf_bm | Third Party |
techtarget.com | __cf_bm | Third Party |
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous.
If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
Cookie details
Cookie Subgroup | Cookies | Cookies used |
---|---|---|
community.sinch.com | ValueSurveyVisitorCount | First Party |
buzz.sinch.com | instap-spid.8069 , instap-spses.8069 | First Party |
appengage.sinch.com | _dd_s | First Party |
sinch.com | AMP_TLDTEST , rl_page_init_referrer , rl_trait , _vis_opt_s , __q_state_dp56h9oqwhna9CoL , cb_user_id , __hstc , rl_anonymous_id , rl_user_id , initialTrafficSource , _vwo_uuid , _vwo_uuid_v2 , rl_page_init_referring_domain , _hjIncludedInSessionSample_xxx , apt.uid , __hssrc , test_rudder_cookie , cb%3Atest , __hssc , rl_group_trait , _hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress , _vwo_referrer , _vwo_sn , _vis_opt_test_cookie , _hjFirstSeen , _hjTLDTest , _hjSession_xxxxxx , s_sq , _vwo_ds , rl_group_id , _vis_opt_exp_n_combi , s_cc , _gclxxxx , cb_anonymous_id , cb_group_id , apt.sid , rl_session , _uetvid , AMP_899c7e29a9 , _hjSessionUser_xxxxxx | First Party |
brand.sinch.com | AMP_TEST | First Party |
engage.sinch.com | no-cache , instap-spses.85bb , instap-spid.85bb | First Party |
www.sinch.com | d-a8e6 , s-9da4 | First Party |
nr-data.net | JSESSIONID | Third Party |
sinch-en.newsroom.cision.com | _ga, _gid | Third Party |
sinch.in | _ga_xxxxxxxxxx, _gat_UA-XXXXXX-X, _gid, _ga | Third Party |
terminus.services | terminustb | Third Party |
g.fastcdn.co | instap-spses.85bb | Third Party |
hello.learn.mailjet.com | pardot, visitor_id, visitor_id##### | Third Party |
www.googletagmanager.com | userId | Third Party |
hello.learn.mailgun.com | visitor_id#####, visitor_id | Third Party |
dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com | _vwo_ssm | Third Party |
box.com | box_visitor_id | Third Party |
app.box.com | z, cn | Third Party |
sinch-tfn.paperform.co | laravel_session | Third Party |
go.sinch.in | visitor_id#####, visitor_id | Third Party |
Qualified | __q_local_form_debug | Third party |
Rudderstack | rudder.inProgress, rudder.3156dd1f-7029-4600-ae54-baf147d9af20.queue, rudder.3156dd1f-7029-4600-ae54-baf147d9af20.ack, rudder.3156dd1f-7029-4600-ae54-baf147d9af20.reclaimStart, rudder.3156dd1f-7029-4600-ae54-baf147d9af20.reclaimEnd, | Third party |
6sense | _6senseCompanyDetauls, _6signalTTL | Third party |
Appcues | apc_local_id, apc_user | Third party |
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device.
If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Cookie details
Cookie Subgroup | Cookies | Cookies used |
---|---|---|
investors.sinch.com | visitor_id | First Party |
community.sinch.com | VISITOR_BEACON , LithiumVisitor | First Party |
sinch.com | _uetsid , ajs_user_id , _gcl_aw , ajs_group_id , AMCV_ , __utmzzses , _fbp , _gcl_au , AMCVS_ | First Party |
go.latam.sinch.com | visitor_id##### , pardot | First Party |
linkedin.com | li_gc, bcookie, lidc, AnalyticsSyncHistory, UserMatchHistory, li_sugr | Third Party |
pi.pardot.com | lpv151751, pardot | Third Party |
hsforms.com | _cfuvid | Third Party |
google.com | CONSENT | Third Party |
sinch.in | _gclxxxx, _gcl_au | Third Party |
www.linkedin.com | bscookie | Third Party |
bing.com | MUID, MSPTC | Third Party |
www.facebook.com | Third Party | |
hello.learn.mailgun.com | pardot | Third Party |
www.youtube.com | TESTCOOKIESENABLED | Third Party |
dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com | uuid | Third Party |
g2crowd.com | __cf_bm | Third Party |
pardot.com | visitor_id#####, visitor_id | Third Party |
tracking.g2crowd.com | _session_id | Third Party |
hubspot.com | __cf_bm, _cfuvid | Third Party |
doubleclick.net | test_cookie, IDE | Third Party |
youtube.com | CONSENT, VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA, VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | Third Party |
go.sinch.in | pardot | Third Party |
liadm.com | lidid | Third Party |
www.google.com | _GRECAPTCHA | Third Party |
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Cookie details
Cookie Subgroup | Cookies | Cookies used |
---|---|---|
portal.sinch.com | pnctest | First Party |
partner.appengage.sinch.com | _dd_s | First Party |
investors.sinch.com | First Party | |
community.sinch.com | LithiumUserInfo , LithiumUserSecure | First Party |
tickets.sinch.com | selectedidp | First Party |
engage.sinch.com | ln_or | First Party |
cockpit2.sinch.com | CSRF-TOKEN , NG_TRANSLATE_LANG_KEY | First Party |
sinch.com | apt.temp-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx , hubspotutk , ajs%3Acookies , cf_clearance , ajs%3Atest , __tld__ , __q_domainTest , pfjs%3Acookies , ajs_anonymous_id | First Party |
auth.appengage.sinch.com | AUTH_SESSION_ID , KEYCLOAK_3P_COOKIE , KEYCLOAK_3P_COOKIE_SAMESITE , KC_RESTART , AUTH_SESSION_ID_LEGACY | First Party |
www.recaptcha.net | _GRECAPTCHA | Third Party |
boxcdn.net | __cf_bm | Third Party |
d2oeshgsx64tgz.cloudfront.net | cookietest | Third Party |
sinch-np.paperform.co | XSRF-TOKEN, laravel_session | Third Party |
vimeo.com | __cf_bm, vuid | Third Party |
sinch-ca-sc.paperform.co | XSRF-TOKEN, laravel_session | Third Party |
box.com | site_preference | Third Party |
app.box.com | bv | Third Party |
sinch-tfn.paperform.co | XSRF-TOKEN | Third Party |
cision.com | cf_clearance | Third Party |
These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
Cookie details
Cookie Subgroup | Cookies | Cookies used |
---|---|---|
community.sinch.com | ln_or | First Party |
sinch.in | _fbp | Third Party |
youtube-nocookie.com | CONSENT | Third Party |
youtube.com | YSC | Third Party |