AI 会议转录公司 Otter.ai 周二表示，已从 General Catalyst 的 Customer Value Fund 完成 3.2 亿美元的增长融资，用于拓展其企业业务和国际版图。
AI meeting-transcription company Otter.ai said on Tuesday it had closed $320 million in growth financing from General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund to expand its enterprise business and international reach.
首席执行官 Sam Liang 告诉路透社，这笔融资是可偿还的，而非股权融资，避免了股东稀释。Otter 最初是一款消费者应用，现已拥有超过 4000 万用户，目标是明年至少将企业收入翻倍。
The financing is repayable rather than equity, avoiding shareholder dilution, CEO Sam Liang told Reuters. Otter, which began as a consumer app and now has more than 40 million users, aims to at least double its enterprise revenue next year.
“我们确实需要偿还给他们，” Liang 说，并补充道，随着销售和营销支出产生收入，Otter 将连本带息偿还该基金。他表示，一旦初始金额用完，该基金可能会提供更多资金。
"We do need to pay them back," Liang said, adding that Otter would repay the fund with interest as sales and marketing spending generates revenue. He said the fund could provide more capital once the initial amount is spent.
Liang 说，Otter 计划将销售和营销预算翻倍或翻三倍，扩充其精简的销售团队，并在海外加大市场推广力度。美国是其最大市场，其次是加拿大、英国和印度。公司目前支持包括西班牙语、法语、德语、日语和普通话在内的多种语言。
Liang said Otter plans to double or triple its sales and marketing budget, grow its small sales team and market more heavily abroad. The US is its biggest market, followed by Canada, Britain and India. The company now supports languages including Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Mandarin.
首席执行官拒绝透露企业收入、付费用户占比或公司目标。他表示，企业业务是 Otter 增长最快的板块，希望明年将其收入翻三倍。
The CEO declined to disclose enterprise revenue, the share of users who pay, or the company's target. He said enterprise is Otter's fastest-growing segment and that he hopes to triple its revenue next year.
Liang 说，企业客户更有可能继续使用该产品，因为团队会集体使用。约 86% 的《财富》500 强企业已有 Otter 用户，主要通过自然采用，公司旨在将他们转化为付费客户。
Liang said enterprise customers are more likely to stick with the product because teams use it collectively. About 86% of Fortune 500 companies already have Otter users, mostly through organic adoption, and the company aims to convert them into paying customers, he added.
Otter 称已为客户创造超过 15 亿美元的投资回报。该估算基于用户调查，发现付费客户每周至少找回 4 小时。还基于一家大型资产管理公司的分析，发现每投入 1 美元至少获得 10 美元回报。
Otter said it has generated more than $1.5 billion in customer return on investment. The estimate draws on user surveys, which found paying customers regain at least four hours a week. It also draws on an analysis by a large asset manager, which found a return of at least $10 per $1 spent.
Liang 表示，Otter 计划最终进行首次公开募股 (IPO)，但希望先积累更多企业收入。
Otter plans an eventual initial public offering, Liang said, but wants to build more enterprise revenue first.