Amex Ventures Backs AI-Powered SMB Growth Platform Pie

Pie, founded by former Square and Toast operators Syed Ali and Akhil Mantripragada, is building an AI-powered growth platform for small businesses that often lack access to enterprise-grade marketing tools. Its products span AI Search, customer acquisition and Front Desk, a virtual agent that answers calls, handles bookings and responds to questions around the clock. The investment underscores growing financial-sector interest in AI tools linking merchant discovery, conversion and revenue growth.

Amex Ventures has announced an investment in Pie, though the size of its individual commitment was not disclosed. Pie separately raised a $19.5 million Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners on June 30, 2026, bringing total funding to $23.7 million. The company plans to expand its product suite, distribution partnerships and workforce. Pie says its platform has generated more than 100,000 calls for small businesses, while customers typically record year-over-year sales gains of 15% to 20%.