Sendbird joined the Unicorn Club on April 6, 2021, after raising a $100 million Series C funding round, which valued the company at $1 billion. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, United States, Sendbird provides messaging and chat APIs that enable developers to integrate reliable, customizable in-app communication into their platforms.
The company’s solutions power chat, voice, and video experiences for apps across various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, and social networking. With robust developer tools and global scalability, Sendbird enables businesses to enhance engagement, collaboration, and customer retention.
Keep reading to learn how Sendbird became one of the leading API providers shaping real-time digital communication.
What Is Sendbird and What Does It Do?
Founded in 2013, Sendbird offers a cloud-based messaging infrastructure that enables developers to build chat, voice, and video capabilities directly into their applications. Its fully customizable APIs and SDKs allow businesses to create seamless communication experiences that scale globally.
The company’s platform supports secure, low-latency messaging, moderation tools, and data analytics for better customer engagement. Initially part of Y Combinator’s Winter 2016 batch, Sendbird has evolved from a startup to a global communications enabler serving major brands across various industries.
By migrating its systems from MariaDB 10 to Amazon RDS Aurora, Sendbird enhanced performance and reliability for enterprise clients. Its flexible pricing model ranges from a free basic plan to enterprise-level subscriptions tailored for high-volume use.
How Much Funding Has Sendbird Raised?
1. Series C Round
- Amount Raised: $100 million
- Date: March 19, 2021
- Valuation: $1 billion
- Lead Investors: Meritech, Iconiq Capital
- Purpose: Expand global operations, strengthen API infrastructure, and scale enterprise offerings
2. Earlier Rounds (Seed to Series B)
- Cumulative Funding: ~$118 million
- Key Investors: Y Combinator, Tiger Global Management, Shasta Ventures
- Purpose: Product development, platform reliability, and developer community expansion
Total Funding Raised: ~$218 million
Latest Funding Date: March 19, 2021
Latest Known Valuation: ~$1 billion
Employee Count: 111 (as of December 31, 2022)
Key Investors
1. Meritech Capital Partners
- Details: Growth-stage investment firm focused on technology-driven companies in SaaS, enterprise software, and infrastructure.
- Focus Areas: Developer tools, API infrastructure, and enterprise communications.
2. Iconiq Capital
- Details: Investment firm managing capital for technology entrepreneurs and high-growth companies.
- Focus Areas: Cloud computing, AI, and enterprise platforms.
Where Is Sendbird’s Headquarters?
Sendbird is headquartered in San Mateo, California, United States. Its teams focus on API development, infrastructure scaling, customer success, and enterprise communication technologies.
What’s Next for Sendbird?
Sendbird plans to expand its AI-powered conversational capabilities, enabling businesses to integrate intelligent, context-aware communication within apps. The company is also enhancing its agentic AI features for customer support automation and real-time translation to improve global accessibility.
With a focus on reliability, customization, and developer-first tools, Sendbird continues to redefine how applications connect people through real-time digital communication.
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