Sophiie AI raises A$5 million seed round and launches AI operating system for trades

Sophiie AI has raised A$5 million in seed funding at a A$30 million valuation as it rolls out a new AI operating system for trades and service businesses. The Gold Coast startup says the money will fuel product development, hiring and expansion into the U.S. later this year.

Why it matters: - Sophiie AI is targeting a major pain point for trades and service businesses: admin work that takes owners and teams away from customer jobs and revenue. - The company is positioning AI as an operating layer for businesses that handle high volumes of calls, quotes, scheduling, follow-ups and invoicing. - Sophiie says thousands of businesses already use its platform across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

What happened: - Sophiie AI raised A$5 million in seed funding. - The round valued the company at A$30 million. - Investors include Archangel Ventures, Admiralty Capital Group, Antler, Gandel Invest and Aussie Angels. - The Gold Coast, Queensland-based company launched a major new version of its platform at the same time. - Sophiie plans to expand into the United States later this year.

The details: - Sophiie says the company is growing about 10% to 15% month-on-month. - The new capital will go toward product development, team growth, deeper market presence and international expansion. - The platform has evolved from an AI receptionist into a broader AI operating system for trades and service businesses. - Sophiie is built to respond to enquiries, qualify customers, book and schedule work, coordinate jobs, communicate with customers, generate quotes, manage follow-ups and support invoicing. - The company says its conversational AI can work across phone and digital channels while keeping context across customers, jobs and interactions. - Sophiie is designed for high-volume maintenance trades such as plumbing, electrical and HVAC. - The company says a single business can receive dozens or hundreds of enquiries while managing tradies, schedules, jobs, quotes, invoices and customer communication. - Sophiie says business owners can spend as much as 16 hours a week on administrative work. - The platform is meant to reduce the need for manual handoffs between disconnected systems.

Between the lines: - The raise suggests investors see a broader shift from point AI tools to systems that sit at the center of day-to-day operations. - Sophiie is trying to own the workflow, not just the front desk, which could make the product stickier if customers embed it deeply into operations. - The company’s pitch is that automation can let service businesses scale without adding admin staff at the same pace. - That could matter most in sectors where growth often creates more complexity, not just more revenue.

What’s next: - Sophiie will use the funding to accelerate execution in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. - The company plans to deepen product development as it expands internationally. - U.S. expansion is slated for later this year. - Founder and CEO Jacob Banks said the company sees an opportunity to build a global AI operating system for trades.

The bottom line: - Sophiie AI is betting that trades businesses want software that does the admin, not more software that adds to it.