How does Zendesk help AI startups grow?

Zendesk, the cloud-based customer service and sales platform based in California, recently announced its Zendesk for Startups program, where it has committed $100 million for two years to help startups move faster, automate, and build world-class customer experiences.

According to the company, the Zendesk for Startups program is built for the next generation of founders, as it offers free access to products, along with resources and partner benefits helping them build and scale faster. The company also said that they are extending dedicated benefits to venture capital partners across their portfolios for the first time.

“I joined Zendesk when we were a small startup, and those early decisions shaped everything that followed. We built this program with that experience in mind. AI has fundamentally changed what a small team can accomplish from day one—founders shouldn’t have to choose between moving fast and building right. With AI built in from the start, they can do both while extending their runway by removing cost as a barrier,” said Adrian McDermott, CTO, Zendesk.

The company said that more than 50,000 startups have scaled on Zendesk globally, including companies like ElevenLabs and Canva, and their program supports founders and extends through Series B for companies with up to 250 employees. The expanded program provides members with up to two years of access to Zendesk’s comprehensive AI suite, and is currently the longest no-cost commitment among current CX startup offerings according to them. They also include more seats and higher monthly resolution limits along with access to a new digital membership hub and exclusive partner benefits from AWS, GitHub, Notion, and others.

The startups qualified for the Zendesk for Startups program will receive a collection of services, including free two-year access to Zendesk, AI agents-led automation, VIP onboarding & fast-track implementation, direct sales support for scaling, access to exclusive events like founder sessions and partner programming, and exclusive insider access for feedback.

“We built MERIT to streamline that pursuit process. By choosing Zendesk, we’re able to automate workflows and deploy AI agents from day one—allowing us to stay lean and focused on our mission to help our customers win,” said Lauren Burke Silva, the Co-Founder and CEO of MERIT and Matchplicity.

Zendesk has also announced plans to expand the program and deliver dedicated benefits directly to venture capital firms. Through partnerships with investors like a16z, Techstars, LvlUp Ventures, and 500 Global, participating venture capitalists gain access to exclusive closed-door interactive AI sessions, quarterly portfolio reviews, and Zendesk Employee Service, including a direct line to senior leadership via the Zendesk Executive Sponsor initiative.

“What Zendesk is doing here is meeting them at that pace with real resources and a real commitment to the ecosystem. This is exactly why Techstars is deepening its partnership with Zendesk. This is the kind of partnership that helps the next generation of breakout companies get off the ground and scale,” said David Cohen, Founder and CEO, Techstars.