Blok, an emerging startup, recently secured $7.5 million across two funding rounds. MaC Venture Capital led its $5 million seed round. This capital supports Blok's innovative AI app testing platform.
The company, founded in 2024 by serial entrepreneurs Tom Charman and Olivia Higgs, develops an AI simulation platform. This platform allows developers to test app features using AI-generated user personas. Consequently, it helps improve app design and functionality.
Blok's pre-seed round included Protagonist, Rackhouse, Ryan Hoover’s Weekend Fund, and Blank Ventures. Individuals from major tech companies like Discord, Google, Meta, Apple, Snapchat, and Pinterest also participated in the seed round.
Driving Predictive App Development
Unlike reactive tools such as Optimizely and Amplitude, Blok provides a predictive layer for app testing. This approach enables teams to anticipate user behavior before writing code. The platform aims to reduce the need for experimental feature releases.
The need for advanced testing increases with complex interfaces, including chat and voice. Blok addresses challenges for both small and large companies. Small companies often lack user cohorts, while large firms seek to avoid clunky feature additions.
Customers upload event log data from existing analytics platforms. Blok then performs behavioral modeling to create diverse user personas. Subsequently, development teams submit Figma designs and experiment details.
The AI persona agents run simulations multiple times. Blok delivers insights on user interaction and provides recommendations for improvement. This includes overall reports and persona-specific suggestions.
Initially, Blok focuses on finance and healthcare sectors. These industries benefit significantly from rigorous, private testing. The startup operates on a SaaS model. Blok aims for mid-single-digit millions in revenue this year. The company plans to expand its customer base further.
