Spanish startup Reply Next has closed a pre-seed funding round of €400,000 to advance its artificial intelligence platform for multi-location brands. The company, founded by telecommunications engineer Miguel Peñate, helps businesses centralize digital interactions from platforms such as Google Maps, Booking, and major app stores. The announcement, made public on September 24, reflects a growing need to help each physical location act on the data that surrounds it.
Addressing Fragmented Digital Signals
Reply Next addresses a gap in how enterprises manage location-level digital activity. According to the company, nine out of ten businesses do not know how much revenue their stores generate through Google Maps, and fewer than ten percent appear in AI-powered search results. Its platform gathers reviews, ratings, messages, searches, and recommendations into a single environment where AI agents can respond, monitor competitors, and automate tasks according to brand guidelines.
From Data Collection to Autonomous Action
The company's technology goes beyond reporting by enabling autonomous action across hundreds of locations. Peñate explained that AI agents can answer customer reviews while preserving each brand's voice, detect recurring problems, and improve the digital visibility of individual establishments. The goal is to provide every location, regardless of size, with continuous intelligence that supports better operational and strategic decisions.
Funding Led by 4Founders Capital
The 400,000 euro pre-seed round was led by independent fund manager 4Founders Capital, with participation from business angels including Juanjo Mostazo and David Alcobero. The capital will strengthen technology and sales teams, accelerate product development, and support new AI agents designed to automate processes for brands. The company has also reinforced its leadership with Tony Santana, formerly of Trivago and Tripadvisor, as Head of Sales, and Diego Martín Hernández as CTO.
Investor Confidence in AI-Driven Location Management
Jesús Monleón, co-founder of 4Founders Capital, said managing digital presence for thousands of establishments is a growing challenge for brands. He noted that Reply Next combines technology and AI to centralize information and convert it into actions. Monleón added that Miguel's experience at Google and the team's vision for consumer and AI interactions convinced the fund of the company's potential.
Targeting Large Groups and Small Chains
Reply Next currently manages several thousand digital channels, mostly for large corporate groups such as KFC, Air Europa, and Comess Group, the owner of Lizarran and Levaduramadre. The startup also aims to democratize access for small and medium-sized enterprises that operate five, ten, or twenty locations but lack the resources of multinational chains. Its primary verticals include restaurants, travel, retail, and mobile applications, where digital reputation directly affects business performance.
International Ambitions and Early Traction
Spain remains the company's priority market, but the platform was designed with international expansion in mind. Around 15 percent of its business already comes from foreign markets, and the company is targeting Italy, the United Kingdom, and Mexico as near-term opportunities. Peñate says the short-term focus is to consolidate growth in Spain while laying the groundwork for broader expansion.
Reply Next positions itself as a digital brain for each physical establishment, connecting external signals and converting them into actions that can improve visibility, customer experience, and revenue. With fresh capital, experienced hires, and an initial roster of enterprise clients, the startup aims to become the reference platform in Spain for managing multi-location digital presence. As AI becomes a more common entry point for consumer discovery, the company's focus on autonomous location-level intelligence addresses a growing operational challenge for brands.