Apurva Shrivastava builds billion-dollar startup from missed calls since 2022
MIT graduate Apurva Shrivastava turned his childhood frustration with missed calls at his parents' small business into Avoca, a billion-dollar startup.
Founded in 2022, Avoca helps home service companies (think plumbers and HVAC technicians) never lose customers just because they couldn't pick up the phone.
Avoca uses AI voice agents
Avoca started out helping restaurants but quickly shifted to home services, where missing a call can mean losing big money.
Co-founded with fellow MIT graduate Tyson Chen (who saw the same issue at his mom's acupuncture clinic), Avoca uses AI voice agents that answer calls, book appointments, and follow up on quotes, all synced to live calendars.
Shrivastava says their tech isn't about replacing jobs: "No AI wave is replacing the job of a technician, at least in the next five years."
Instead, it's about making life easier for small businesses as their industry grows fast.