Enate, founded by Kit Cox in 2011, is an enterprise AI and orchestration platform designed to help businesses streamline their operations.
Based in Cheltenham, Enate was born out of Kit’s frustration with outdated tools, such as spreadsheets and shared mailboxes, that many companies rely on to manage complex services. The Enate solution provides a single platform that provides a clear view of operations, allowing organizations to improve efficiency and automate processes.
Large enterprises such as TMF, Ernst & Young, and Acuity have integrated Enate’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform to manage their service delivery, often achieving operational savings of up to 20% between and the first three months. The platform identifies gaps and opportunities, helping businesses implement automation across their processes.
Recognizing the growing potential of productive AI, Enate has appointed Sam Ward as Head of AI Research and Development to lead innovation in this area. From sentiment analysis and email analytics to intelligent document processing and data analysis, Enate’s AI tools have been a game changer for its customers. Recent results show businesses save up to 30 hours for every 1,000 emails processed, which is equivalent to the amount of time two full-time employees save each year.
Built on Microsoft Azure Open AI Service, Enate solutions deliver the highest levels of accuracy, security, and compatibility. The company is an official Microsoft ISV Partner and has been recognized as an automation leader by Zinnov.
Backed by Mercia, Enate’s mission is clear: to free businesses from mundane, repetitive tasks, giving them insights that allow them to focus on excellence and customer growth.
What was the inspiration behind Enate?
I was inspired to create Enate because, frankly, I was tired of seeing business leaders having to deal with garbage systems or, worse, spreadsheets and shared mailboxes to deliver complex services that were not good for the job. We built Enate to deal with what the world is really like. Many businesses have traditionally relied on things like IT service management systems to deliver services, but the problem is that while fixing a server in Brazil is the same as fixing a server in Belgium, that’s not the same as running a salary in those countries. Enate helps to set up at a functional level but also allows you to adapt to the diversity of your business between countries and products, wrapping everything in delivering a single superior service.
Who do you like?
Having just returned from two weeks at Glastonbury Festival – one at the fest, one at the cleaning job – I highly recommend Michael and Emily Eavis. The builders and growers are truly unique.
The whole concept of Glasto only works because so many people have bought into its concept, and are willing to behave in the opposite way and give their time to do so: An idea I call Glastonomics. Acts like Coldplay make a tenth of their regular fee, campers give up creature comforts, doctors and dentists offer free care, and volunteers run the festival.
After the festival, I joined 2,000 others in a five-day trash pick-up to restore the site to its former glory. I got to spend time with such diverse people from all walks of life, from students to high flyers, youth to pensioners, and academics. It is proof that contributing to society brings rich rewards.
Looking back, is there anything you could have done differently?
Of course, I would not start a business that requires a lot of money until I have easy money. The sad truth is that you really have to struggle for a while. If I could go back in time, I would have started a service business first. Another thing I would do differently is write a shareholder agreement – don’t bother with shareholder agreements unless you need them.
What defines your way of doing business?
Working smart, entrusting our talented team to do their best, and making sure the people around me are happy. I’m not someone who chases a certain end, I define success as something personal and fleeting. If my way of doing business brings joy to others and they share, the business is a success. Conversely, if my team and clients are not satisfied, it is a sign that there is still work to be done.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Don’t wait years to get started. Go and discover that you are destined to run a business. Do you enjoy the feeling you get before an exam? If you can appreciate that, go for it. You must be passionate about what you do so that you can face all the challenges that will come along the way.
