March 7, 2023 – Inbenta, a conversational AI platform designed to optimize customer experience, announced its new headquarters at One Bethany West in Allen, TX, the Allen Economic Development Corporation confirmed. The news follows a $40 million investment from Tritium Partners and the naming of Melissa Solis as Inbenta’s new CEO.
For Inbenta’s new chief executive, Melissa Solis, who made the decision to transfer Inbenta’s headquarters from the San Francisco area, the move represents a return to Allen where Solis founded and led Allen-based GIACT, an identity and payments fraud detection company. Solis co-founded GIACT in 2004 and successfully sold the company to Refinitiv in 2020, later acquired by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).
According to Solis, Allen has been a key factor in her success thus far. Business support from city staff and the strong talent pool in Allen, and surrounding areas of North Texas, was part of the reason for her return. But it was the community itself, which she describes as perfect for businesses and for employees seeking an affordable cost of living and a family friendly setting, that really set the city apart.
“Allen has a strong sense of community that I think is critically important for any company, especially small-cap companies to grow,” said Solis. “You have people like those at the Allen Economic Development Corporation, and banks and other companies that are local that really support you and are there to help you. We still care for one another, we like to see people succeed, and I think that’s really what sets Allen apart and makes it different.” Solis referenced the benefits of resources like Tech Titans, a North Texas based technology association that offers a forum for collaboration and innovation intelligence for tech companies in the region.
Solis also mentioned access to talent for Inbenta’s relocation. For its part, North Texas schools and universities have continued to foster technology-based curricula, ensuring a consistent pool of highly skilled local talent.
“Allen has so much amazing talent,” Solis said. “North Texas universities and colleges have made significant progress over the past 20 years preparing students for today’s business and technology opportunities. Whereas North Texas firms had to recruit outside of the region previously, today we have incredible talent right here.”
While a global company, with regional offices in the U.S., Europe, Brazil and Japan, Inbenta plans to grow its footprint and headcount in Allen over the coming years. Inbenta also plans to grow its business through acquisition, bringing even more to the region.
Trained over a decade using billions of customer interactions, Inbenta’s proprietary AI in chatbots, knowledge, messenger and search channels are designed to automate customer interactions and optimize customer experience. Inbenta currently serves over 1,000 customers globally, with its AI used across industries and use cases. Inbenta helps its customers by implementing AI-optimized solutions that can achieve resolutions automatically, reducing the need and cost associated with human intervention.