Serve First raises £4.6m to expand AI into Europe and US

Serve First, an AI-driven customer experience and feedback management platform with its HQ in Milton Keynes, has raised £4.6 million from Pembroke VCT and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, through its appointed fund manager Mercia Ventures, alongside Tiny VCT, Techstars and angel investors.

Serve First CEO, Erol Ayvaz. Courtesy – Serve First.

The investment will support the business’s expansion into multibillion dollar markets in Europe and the US as well as product innovation, and builds on its momentum to date, having tripled Annual Recurring Revenue in the past 12 months.

Based in Avebury Boulevard, Serve First's AI-driven platform collects and analyses customer feedback from sources such as in-store surveys, online reviews and mystery shoppers, harnessing AI to deliver actionable insights that help companies across sectors including retail, hospitality, wellness and facilities management to optimise customer experience and loyalty.

Since launching in 2023, the business has quickly gained traction, securing a place on the London Techstars accelerator programme and winning major customers including Alphega Pharmacy, Aramark and Elior Group.

The company has also doubled its headcount in the UK and recently appointed James Dening, who has held senior positions at companies including Amazon and Google, to Chair its Board.

Serve First’s Founder and CEO Erol Ayvaz has spent over 20 years in tech, including at Asana and Market Force Information. His career includes a particular focus on customer experience strategies.

The customer experience management market is forecast to increase by $17.1 billion between 2024 and 2029, a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7 per cent, driven by rising consumer expectations and the increasing importance of feedback in purchasing decisions. Serve First is well-positioned to lead this shift, helping businesses gather and interpret feedback and insights to drive smarter decision-making.

Erol Ayvaz said: “This funding marks a landmark moment in Serve First’s journey. We’ve proven the value of our platform in delivering measurable improvement in customer experience, and this investment will enable us to aggressively scale that impact further both in the UK and internationally over the next three years. Our focus remains on building AI-driven technology that empowers businesses to serve, not just sell.”

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