Bethesda, Md.-based e:cue came out of stealth recently, announcing funding from Washington, D.C.-based Ardent Venture Partners as it brings AI agents to power data science for go-to-market (GTM) business leaders.
Founded by former 2U and Capital One executive Harsha Mokkarala, the startup is building what it calls the “next generation of AI-driven intelligence for marketing and sales teams,” helping companies move beyond static data analysis to proactive, AI-driven decision-making. E:cue contends that businesses are drowning in data, but most are unable to extract real-world value from it. Citing IBM, the company places the estimated cost of poor data quality at more than $3.1 trillion annually.
‘Dashboards Don’t Cut It’
“Businesses don’t need more dashboards; they need the ability to trust and interpret their data,” said Mokkarala, who served as chief marketing officer, chief data scientist and chief revenue officer during a decade-long stint at the educational firm 2U. “This is an expensive and slow process that hinders their ability to find growth in today’s dynamic marketplaces.”
The company’s first product is an AI agent dubbed Cue that embeds actionable data science into the organization’s existing workflows, helping leaders make informed decisions with speed and confidence, said Mokkarala, who has a MS degree in Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Ardent Venture Partners, founded by former McKinsey executive Phil Bronner and Phil Herget, focuses on startups building AI-native applications, vertical SaaS and B2B fintech. Bronner serves as managing partner while Herget is general partner.
Over 30 Exits, 6 IPOs
Before co-founding Ardent, Bronner was the founder/managing member of Summer League Ventures, where his deals included Morning Consult, Ordway Labs and Gather.ai. He was previously a general partner at Novak Biddle, where he oversaw investments in 2U, AddThis and Logic Library, each of which was acquired by larger companies. Bronner earned a BS in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, a JD from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Law, and an MBA from the Wharton School.
Herget was previously the founder/managing member of Avonlea Capital, which focused on high-potential internet, media, mobile, and technology companies. He has also served as co-managing general partner of Columbia Capital, where his deals included Altiga Networks (acquired by Cisco) and Call Technologies (acquired by 3Com). Herget received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in 1985 and an MBA from Kenan-Flager Business School at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Ardent has made over 90 portfolio investments, and exited more than 30. Six of its portfolio companies complete initial public offerings.
