In the dynamic world of startups, adaptability often dictates success. Hupo, a Singapore-based company, exemplifies this principle through its strategic shift from a mental wellness platform to an AI-driven sales coaching solution tailored for the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sectors.
Origins in Mental Wellness
Founded in 2022 by Justin Kim, Hupo initially operated under the name Ami, focusing on mental wellness. The platform aimed to assist individuals in managing stress, developing positive habits, and fostering behavioral change. Kim’s passion for sports and human performance inspired this venture. He observed consistent patterns in performance across various sports and sought to apply these insights to workplace settings. His exploration into workplace performance consistently highlighted the significance of mental resilience, leading to the creation of Ami.
The Pivot to AI Sales Coaching
Early collaborations with Meta, which supported Hupo during its seed funding round, provided valuable lessons. Kim realized that for software solutions to be effective, they must seamlessly integrate into users’ daily routines. Tools that appear judgmental, abstract, or disconnected from real-world tasks often fail to achieve their intended impact. This understanding prompted Hupo’s transition to AI-powered sales coaching. The goal was to enhance human decision-making by offering support during critical moments in the BFSI industry, rather than replacing human judgment.
Kim emphasized that the core challenge in both mental wellness and sales coaching is achieving scalable performance. In sectors like banking and insurance, disparities in results often stem from variations in training, feedback, and confidence levels, rather than a lack of motivation. Traditional coaching methods are limited in reach, and managers cannot oversee every client interaction. By leveraging AI capable of real-time conversation analysis, Hupo provides consistent coaching, even within the complex and regulated BFSI environment.
Strategic Growth and Funding
Hupo’s innovative approach has attracted significant investment. The company secured a $10 million Series A funding round led by DST Global Partners, with contributions from Collaborative Fund, Goodwater Capital, January Capital, and Strong Ventures. This funding has enabled Hupo to expand its services across the Asia-Pacific and European regions, serving prominent clients such as Prudential, AXA, Manulife, HSBC, Bank of Ireland, and Grab.
Kim acknowledged the challenges of penetrating the BFSI sector, known for its stringent requirements and complexities. However, Hupo’s clients have demonstrated substantial growth, often expanding their contracts by three to eight times within the first six months. Looking ahead, Hupo plans to enter the U.S. market in the first half of the year, aiming to address the need for scalable coaching solutions in distribution-centric financial models.
Founder’s Background and Vision
Kim’s professional journey has been instrumental in shaping Hupo’s direction. His tenure at Bloomberg involved selling enterprise software to banks, asset managers, and insurers, providing him with firsthand insight into the complexities of regulated sales. Subsequently, at South Korean fintech company Viva Republica, known for its Toss platform, Kim learned how technology designed around actual user behavior can transform traditional financial services.
These experiences coalesced into Hupo’s mission. Kim recognized the potential of AI to understand context and offer real-time coaching, particularly in the banking and insurance sectors. Unlike many AI sales coaching tools that prioritize technology, Hupo focuses on aligning its platform with the operational realities of banks and insurers. From the outset, Hupo’s models have been trained on real financial products, common objections, client profiles, and regulatory requirements, ensuring relevance and effectiveness.
Future Prospects
With total funding reaching $15 million since its inception, Hupo is poised for further growth. The company plans to enhance its product offerings, including real-time coaching features, scale enterprise-grade deployments, and expand its market presence in the BFSI sector. Additionally, Hupo aims to strengthen its team to support these initiatives.
Looking five years ahead, Kim envisions Hupo extending beyond sales coaching to assist large teams in achieving scalable performance. The objective is to provide managers and employees with clearer insights and practical guidance, even within organizations comprising tens of thousands of individuals.
Conclusion
Hupo’s evolution from a mental wellness platform to an AI-driven sales coaching solution underscores the importance of adaptability and responsiveness to market needs. By focusing on real-time, context-aware coaching, Hupo addresses critical challenges in the BFSI sector, positioning itself as a valuable partner for organizations seeking to enhance performance at scale.
