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Owner Raises $240M to Build the AI‑Native Platform Powering the Future of Every Local Business

TECHNOLOGY

9/1/20262 min read

Left to right: Rob Lehman (President & COO), Adam Guild (Co-founder & CEO), Ashley Lee (Owner of Ashley’s Cafe), Dean Bloembergen (Co-founder & CTO).

Owner, the San Francisco‑based technology company building AI for local businesses, has raised $240 million in new financing led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, bringing the company’s valuation to $2.3 billion. The investment marks a major milestone in Owner’s mission to equip millions of small businesses with enterprise‑grade technology and AI capabilities previously accessible only to large corporations.

An AI‑Native Platform Built to Do the Work Small Businesses Can’t Afford

Owner positions itself as the AI CMO and CTO for local businesses, providing a unified platform that builds and manages websites, online ordering, mobile apps, CRM, customer support, POS systems, and even AI‑powered phone ordering. Its AI agents automatically optimize each part of a business’s digital presence, from promotions to creative assets to customer communications.

This approach addresses a long‑standing gap: while major chains spend billions on technology and marketing, small businesses often lack the resources to compete. Owner’s platform is designed to close that gap by automating the work traditionally handled by expensive agencies or large internal teams.

A Fast‑Growing Platform Already Powering Billions in Local Commerce

Since launching in 2020, Owner has surpassed $100 million in ARR, with independent restaurant owners alone projected to drive more than $1 billion in sales through the platform this year. The company now powers more U.S. locations than Domino’s or Taco Bell, and more than 100 million American consumers have interacted with businesses using Owner’s technology.

Owner is also the #1‑rated restaurant technology on Capterra and G2, reflecting strong adoption across thousands of local businesses nationwide.

AI Agents That Learn From Thousands of Restaurants

Owner’s AI agents operate like digital team members, learning from performance data across thousands of restaurants. Businesses can ask Owner to promote a menu item, and the platform will:

Create the promotion
Update the website
Build and launch the campaign
Generate creative assets
Publish across channels

The AI can also answer phones, take orders, reply to reviews, and manage customer support, all autonomously.

Higher Traffic, More Revenue, and Stronger Loyalty

Owner reports significant performance improvements for businesses using its platform:

40% average increase in online traffic within 30 days
40%+ growth in direct online revenue in the first year
2x higher reorder rate among customers using branded restaurant apps

These results demonstrate how AI‑driven automation can meaningfully impact small business growth.

Building the Future of Local Business Technology

With its new $240M raise, Owner plans to expand beyond restaurants into categories such as grocers and salons, bringing AI‑powered operations, marketing, and customer engagement to every local business. CEO Adam Guild emphasizes that Owner’s mission is not to replace jobs, but to perform the work small business owners have never been able to afford, giving them the same competitive advantages as national chains.

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