At Forerunner, we've always believed that exceptional customer experiences are the foundation of enduring businesses. Over the last decade, we've partnered with a new generation of customer-focused companies that redefined what it means to build deep, trusted relationships with consumers — from OURA to Chime, Glossier, Faire, and more. Today, we’re announcing our investment in Decagon, a company that is fundamentally reimagining how enterprises engage with their single most valuable asset: their customers.
The Power of Customer Obsession
Throughout our time investing across companies from nascent startups to public enterprises, we've seen firsthand the power of leading with customer obsession and the relentless pursuit to excel and win customers over with exceptional service. The best companies don't just respond to customer needs; they anticipate them, creating experiences that build loyalty, drive retention, and fuel growth.
Today, with the transformative potential of AI across all business functions, one area that stands out with perhaps the biggest opportunity for impact is customer service, support, and sales functions. Advancements here offer the rare win-win: tremendous value both in delighting customers and driving operational efficiencies. Decagon's approach aligns perfectly with this belief that using AI is about so much more than just reducing costs, but fundamentally elevates the quality and scalability of human-like, responsive interactions between businesses and people.
Decagon Today: A New Standard in Customer Support
Decagon is transforming enterprise customer support through fully autonomous, AI-powered agents that don't just respond; they resolve. Purpose-built for end-to-end execution, Decagon's platform increases deflection rates up to 70% on average, with many multiple Decagon customers increasing deflection rates to over 90% and even 100% — delivering transformative cost savings, faster resolution times, and 24/7 service coverage.
Since launching in early 2024, Decagon has rapidly scaled, with deployments at marquee names like Chime, Duolingo, Notion, and OURA. What's most impressive isn't just their growth trajectory, but the measurable impact they're creating for customers, from resolution rates 2-3x higher than legacy solutions to cost-per-ticket savings of 80-90%.
The Winning Formula
In a short period, Decagon is emerging as a frontrunner in the category. Through our own portfolio and beyond, we've consistently heard the same feedback: Decagon's product delivers unprecedented results. Leaders cite resolution containment rates of 70-75% (compared to 20-35% for legacy systems), implementation timelines of just 2-4 weeks, and cost-per-resolution savings of 80% or more.
What truly separates Decagon goes beyond performance metrics is the team. CEO and Cofounder Jesse Zhang and all the Decagon leaders live and breathe the customer obsession that has brought them this far — and that will drive the next decade+ of growth. One customer described the team as "by far the most engaged partner our team has ever worked with," while another noted that "they're outpacing everyone" in iteration speed.
With deep technical leverage, strong product momentum, and a fast-growing market, Decagon is poised to be a defining company in the next wave of enterprise AI and a foundational layer for how consumers experience the brands they trust most. Backing this team is a privilege—we’re all in on what Jesse, Ashwin, and Decagon are building.
