Hostie, an AI-powered virtual concierge platform for restaurants, has raised a $12 million Series A round led by Obvious Ventures, bringing its total funding to $16 million. The financing follows a year of strong growth in which the San Francisco-based company expanded to hundreds of restaurant partners, managed over 2 million guest conversations, and booked more than 400,000 restaurant covers.
The platform handles phone calls, text messages, reservations, takeout requests, private event inquiries, and guest questions, letting staff focus on in-person hospitality. The funding reflects growing interest in AI for Hospitality & Events as restaurants seek tools to automate routine guest interactions.
Growth and customer base
Hostie reported a 10x revenue increase and now counts hospitality groups like Flour + Water Hospitality Group, Bacchus Management Group, and State Bird Provisions among its customers. The company handled more than 50,000 private event inquiries, signaling demand from events-focused venues. The round also included investments from restaurant operators Tim Stannard of Bacchus Management Group and the team behind Atomic Workshop.
Investor confidence
"At Back to Back, I saw firsthand how difficult it became for restaurant teams to keep up with the growing volume of guest communication while still delivering great hospitality," Randall Hom, co-founder and CEO of Hostie, said. "We built Hostie to help teams keep up with that demand while staying focused on the people in front of them."
"Hospitality is one of the most operationally complex industries in the world, and Hostie understands that deeply," said Kahini Shah, Partner at Obvious Ventures. "What stood out to us was the team's deep hospitality expertise, the product's quality, and the clear market demand."
What's next for Hostie
The company plans to use the new capital to accelerate product development and expand its leadership team. Recent hires include former OpenTable executive Jeff Jones as Head of Sales and former BentoBox executive Hayley Foppiani as Head of Marketing. Hostie is also backed by hospitality technology veterans, including former OpenTable CEO Thomas Layton and former Yelp VP of Engineering Mike Stoppelman.
Why this matters for hospitality and events professionals
Hostie's growing adoption highlights a practical shift: AI can now manage routine guest communications at scale, reducing missed calls and freeing staff for in-person service. Operators who integrate such tools may see higher booking rates and improved guest satisfaction without adding headcount. For events professionals, the platform's handling of private event inquiries offers a direct way to capture and qualify leads while teams stay focused on executing events.
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