This startup turns AI chat into real sales conversions

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

A Bay Area trip surfaced a simple insight for Marvel Gomulya. Southeast Asia had sales problems that AI could fix today. He co-founded Covena as an AI consultancy and shifted to AI-powered sales outsourcing after clients asked for revenue outcomes and turnkey setup.

😟 Problem

Growing businesses struggle to scale sales due to managing call centers, training agents, and tracking performance. This diverts focus from core operations. High hiring costs, low conversion rates on messaging platforms, and the limitations of AI-only tools are major pain points for mid-sized consumer brands.

💡 Solution

Covena offers end-to-end B2C sales outsourcing, powered by an AI-human team.

• AI agents provide instant replies, qualify leads, and personalize offers
• Human agents intervene for negotiations and deal finalization
• Covena manages the sales team, optimizes funnels, and provides insights

Image credit: Covena

📊 Market size

The average client pays around US$1,500/month for Covena’s service. With just 1,000 clients, annual recurring revenue reaches US$18 million. The company targets the rapidly expanding chat-based commerce sector in Southeast Asia.

🤝 Team

• Marvel Gomulya co-founder and CEO, founder, CEO and CTO of Unilite
• Jason Tjahjono co-founder, ex PayPal AI and self-driving algorithms, computer vision and applied AI
• Harvani Sumawijaya COO, ex-BCG consultant

🚀 Traction

Since launching six months ago, Covena has:

• Signed 15 clients across various industries
• Processed over 100,000 leads via AI sales agents
• Achieved consistent 15-30% increases in lead-to-sale conversions for clients
• Accomplished this with a lean team and no paid marketing

🏆 Competition

Competitors like Yellow.ai, Sierra.ai, or Sleekflow primarily sell software. Covena differentiates by providing a full-stack sales outsourcing service. Clients receive sales outcomes without managing integrations, scripts, or dashboards.

💰 Financials

Covena operates on a commission-based model, charging US$2 to US$30 per closed sale. This aligns incentives with client success. The company is backed by Lightspeed, M Venture Partners, and Monk’s Hill Ventures, with an undisclosed funding amount.