Zoca, a growth automation platform for local service businesses, announced a $6 million seed funding round led by Accel, with participation from GTMfund, Elevation Capital, and Better Capital. The company is using agentic AI to help independent service providers grow their bookings and revenue without manual marketing.
Founded in 2024 by Ashish Verma and Robin Chauhan, Zoca has already onboarded over 1,000 beauty and wellness businesses across the U.S., generating more than 120,000 appointments and $10 million in revenue. The platform delivers hands-free marketing automation using AI agents that manage discovery, conversion, and retention — optimizing the entire customer journey.
Local service businesses, from salons to massage therapists, have traditionally been underserved by digital tools. Zoca is addressing this gap with a full-stack AI solution that eliminates the need for multiple tools or agencies. Its proprietary hyperlocal intelligence engine identifies demand patterns within 5-mile radiuses and executes tailored strategies automatically. For example, the company reports that interest in services like “lymphatic drainage massage” or “glycolic facial” can vary 3x between nearby neighborhoods — a level of granularity traditional marketing platforms fail to capture.
“Within 30 days, I went from 3-4 clients a day to turning people away,” said Latasha Seawood, owner of Slay by Vashae. “Zoca put me on the map.” Gail Aungst of Ohana Sun Tanning added, “Zoca helped us rank for key searches like ‘tanning near me.’”
Zoca’s AI agents handle 50+ local ranking factors, build mobile-first websites, manage 24/7 conversational lead capture, and send retention-focused emails and texts — all without human intervention. Recently, the company launched agents for paid ad optimization and social media management, making it a one-stop AI-powered growth platform for hyperlocal businesses.
“Zoca is unlocking real outcomes in a $750B market long underserved by tech,” said Manasi Shah, Partner at Accel. “Their AI agents automate the entire growth engine, letting small businesses focus on service while AI drives bookings,” echoed GTMfund’s Paul Irving.
