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By Meg Flippin, Benzinga

AI is taking off and that’s not lost on Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI) investors. The maker of AI assistants and avatars just closed a private placement, raising $4.95 million from a group of existing investors. That gives BEN the firepower to continue to develop its AI assistants in-house and through buys.

With its human-like AI assistants, BEN is improving businesses’ customer service, productivity and performance, going after markets with a massive workforce gap and an opportunity to transform how consumers engage with networks, providers and brands. The company’s secret sauce is a broad portfolio of conversational AI applications that drive better customer experience, increased automation and operational efficiencies. Take its virtual adherence assistant for the healthcare industry as one example. BEN says its conversational AI can improve patient experiences and medication understanding, leading to better outcomes. Or its “Remember Me” technology which syncs digital and physical interactions for an integrated, personalized customer experience.

Investor Show Of Confidence

Those advances and many others the company has made since launching its U.S. business in 2018 underpin the why of the recent deal with its existing investors. “The private placement represents a powerful vote of confidence in our strategy from our board, executive team and our existing investors,” said Chairman Chris Gaertner. “This investment will allow BEN to continue to fund its business plan as it seeks to execute on its growth and revenue strategies.”

The investment comes as the AI market is taking off, as new use cases validate this transformational technology. The AI market is forecast to soar to $1.3 trillion in the years to come, growing at a CAGR of 42% over the next decade. Rising demand for generative AI products could add about $280 billion of new software revenue, driven by specialized assistants, new infrastructure products and copilots that accelerate coding.

Not only did the investors double down on BEN, but they were willing to do so at a premium, purchasing warrants and stock at $2.50 a share – materially above where shares were trading at the time. Some of the investors agreed to provide BEN with additional capital through the exercise of their warrants if the company is unable to raise an additional $3.25 million by October 31, bringing the total investment to $8.25 million. That gives BEN a lot of capital to use to strike up partnerships and make buys.

Deep Management Bench

It's an area that Michael Zacharski, now co-CEO of BEN after the promotion of Paul Chang to the newly created role of co-CEO, will head up. Zacharski has more than 15 years of experience in the tech industry, making a name for himself for his ability to drive growth, optimize operations and spearhead M&A. “This is a pivotal time for the AI industry, and we’re excited about the prospect of partnering with organizations that complement our vision and capabilities,” said Zacharski. “I am excited to focus on furthering the company’s M&A strategy, which we believe will be core to our business strategy moving forward.”

Chang, who has been global president since May 2023, will oversee commercial operations as co-CEO, focusing on validating the market and growing the business commercially. Chang spent 18 years at IBM (NYSE: IBM) creating new markets for emerging technologies as well as several start-ups. “I am thrilled to take on the role of co-CEO,” said Chang. “As we transition into delivering value to our customers by commercializing our safe and comprehensive Gen AI Platform, BEN is well positioned both financially and technologically to execute our plans. With our unique design and architecture as well as portfolio of patents, we hope to demonstrate to the market that our AI Assistants are ready to contribute to businesses in areas that can increase CX, help to complete tasks and fuel their growth.” Rounding out the C-Suite at BEN is Chief Financial Officer Bill Willams. Williams brings over twenty years of experience in corporate finance, legal, technology and management consulting to BEN. He is an expert in driving growth, innovation and value creation for emerging growth companies.

AI is taking off, and BEN wants to be a leader in helping businesses streamline operations and enhance customer service with this transformational technology. With fresh cash in its coffers and the backing of a supportive board and investors, BEN seems like an AI story to follow.

Featured photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash.

Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders.

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