Elyos AI stands out as one of the most promising artificial intelligence startups transforming how trades and field service businesses operate. Founded in 2023 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom, the company develops autonomous AI agents designed specifically for industries such as plumbing, electrical services, HVAC, and facilities management. These sectors rely heavily on phone calls, scheduling, dispatching, and customer communication, yet they remain underserved by modern automation technology. Elyos AI addresses this gap by replacing manual front-office work with intelligent AI systems that function as digital employees.
The company’s mission focuses on helping service businesses respond faster to customers, reduce missed calls, improve booking efficiency, and streamline operations without increasing staff costs. Elyos AI does not build simple chatbots. It creates AI agents capable of performing real business tasks, integrating directly into operational systems, and acting independently in everyday workflows.
Founding Vision and Leadership
Elyos AI launched in 2023 under the leadership of three experienced founders:
- Adrian Johnston, a second-time entrepreneur with a background in contact center optimization and business scaling
- Philippa Brown, an operations specialist with experience inside large field service organizations
- Panos Stravopodis, Chief Technology Officer with deep engineering and systems leadership experience
The founding team recognized that trades and field service companies struggle with the same core problem: customers expect instant responses, but most businesses cannot answer every call or message. Missed calls translate directly into lost revenue. Manual scheduling creates delays. Human staff cannot scale easily during peak demand. The founders saw an opportunity to build AI agents that could handle these operational bottlenecks autonomously.
In 2023, Elyos AI joined the Y Combinator Summer 2023 cohort, gaining early validation and access to one of the world’s strongest startup ecosystems. This backing allowed the company to refine its product and begin working with real service businesses across the UK and beyond.
What Elyos AI Builds
Elyos AI develops autonomous customer service and operations agents for trades and field service companies. These agents function as virtual front-office staff and manage a wide range of essential business tasks.
The core capabilities include:
1. 24/7 Call Handling
Elyos AI agents answer inbound phone calls around the clock. They respond instantly, gather customer information, understand service requests, and route the conversation toward booking or resolution. This feature eliminates missed calls and ensures that businesses capture every potential lead.
2. Scheduling and Appointment Booking
The agents book jobs directly into a company’s calendar system. They check availability, propose appointment times, confirm bookings with customers, and update schedules in real time. This removes the need for manual coordination and reduces scheduling errors.
3. Missed Call and Message Follow-Up
When customers call outside working hours or leave messages, the AI agent automatically follows up. It sends messages, answers questions, and pushes conversations toward confirmed appointments or quotes.
4. CRM and System Integration
Elyos AI integrates directly with customer relationship management (CRM) tools and job management software used by service companies. The system records customer data, job history, and communications automatically. This integration allows the AI agent to behave like a fully embedded employee rather than a standalone chatbot.
5. Lead Conversion and Quote Follow-Ups
The agents track open leads and pending quotes. They contact customers who have not responded, answer objections, and encourage conversions. This process keeps the sales pipeline active without human intervention.
6. Dispatch and Operational Support
The AI agents assist with dispatching engineers and technicians by relaying job information and ensuring correct routing. This feature reduces delays and improves field team efficiency.
Together, these capabilities transform Elyos AI from a customer support tool into a fully autonomous operational system.
Funding and Growth
Elyos AI achieved a major milestone in January 2026, when it raised approximately $13 million (around £9.7 million or €11.1 million) in a Series A funding round. Blackbird Ventures led the round, with participation from Y Combinator and Pi Labs.
The company plans to use this funding to:
- Expand its AI agent capabilities across voice, email, and messaging channels
- Build deeper integrations with industry software platforms
- Grow its engineering and commercial teams
- Prepare for international expansion during 2026
This funding round signals strong investor confidence in Elyos AI’s approach and its potential to dominate a niche market that traditional AI companies have largely ignored.
Why Trades and Field Services Need AI Agents
Trades and field service businesses operate in environments where speed and reliability matter. Customers often call when they experience urgent problems such as broken boilers, electrical failures, or water leaks. If no one answers the phone, customers immediately contact competitors.
Historically, these businesses rely on small office teams or owner-operators to handle calls and scheduling. This model breaks down during busy periods. Hiring more staff increases costs and introduces training challenges. Automation software often fails because it cannot handle complex conversations or understand customer intent.
Elyos AI solves this problem with autonomous agents that can:
- Respond instantly
- Understand service needs
- Book appointments
- Follow up persistently
- Integrate into existing workflows
This approach increases revenue capture, reduces administrative burden, and improves customer satisfaction.
Competitive Advantage
Elyos AI differentiates itself from generic AI chatbot companies in several ways:
- Industry Focus – The company builds specifically for trades and field service businesses rather than general customer service.
- Operational Integration – Its agents integrate with real business systems rather than operating as isolated interfaces.
- Autonomous Execution – The agents perform tasks independently instead of merely answering questions.
- Voice and Messaging Coverage – The platform supports phone calls, emails, and digital messaging channels.
These advantages allow Elyos AI to function as an actual digital workforce rather than a support tool.
Headquarters and Company Profile
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Founded: 2023
- Industry: AI agents, B2B SaaS, automation
- Primary Market: Trades and field service businesses
- Accelerator: Y Combinator (Summer 2023)
The company operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence and practical business operations, targeting a massive but overlooked sector of the economy.
Future Outlook
Elyos AI plans to expand internationally in 2026 and beyond. As labor shortages continue and customer expectations rise, demand for autonomous operational tools will increase. Field service companies must modernize or risk losing customers to more responsive competitors.
With strong funding, experienced founders, and a focused product strategy, Elyos AI positions itself to become a category leader in AI-driven operations for service industries. Its technology demonstrates that artificial intelligence can move beyond experimentation and into daily business execution.
Rather than replacing workers, Elyos AI augments them. It removes repetitive tasks, handles routine communication, and allows human teams to focus on high-value work such as service delivery and complex problem solving.
Conclusion
Elyos AI represents a new generation of artificial intelligence startups that build practical, revenue-driving solutions instead of abstract tools. By creating autonomous AI agents for trades and field service businesses, the company addresses a long-standing operational problem with modern technology.
Founded in 2023, backed by Y Combinator, and funded with $13 million in Series A investment, Elyos AI shows strong momentum and clear market fit. Its agents handle calls, schedule jobs, follow up with customers, and integrate into business systems like digital employees.
As industries seek automation that delivers real outcomes, Elyos AI stands at the forefront of applying artificial intelligence to everyday business operations. The company’s growth signals a future where AI agents work alongside human teams to power service businesses around the world.
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