Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation have been buzzwords of the tech industry in recent years. The promise of automating routine tasks using advanced AI models has attracted massive investments, including more than $2 billion pumped into incumbents like UiPath and Automation Anywhere. However, despite the enthusiasm, the global market is projected at just $13 billion by 2030. So, is the full investment value being realized? Or is there room for new players to disrupt and innovate? Let’s dive in.

The Pain Points of Broad RPA Tools

RPA and Intelligent Automation tools, including hyper-automation and cognitive automation, have aimed to relieve business users from routine tasks. However, their adoption often requires a significant level of technical knowledge, which fades over time due to changing processes and lack of training. Take the case of enterprise giants like Celonis or WorkFusion, their broad, generic tools demand considerable technical know-how and constant updates to align with evolving business processes. The involvement of engineers to assist business users further stretches the time-to-value.

Emergence of Niche Players

Acknowledging these challenges, a new generation of startups is emerging, focusing on specific market sectors or particular business processes. Quadri, for instance, raised $8.5M in Series A funding to bring process automation to insurance brokers and agencies. The domain-specific focus indeed maximizes knowledge but has to deal with a variety of software tools within one industry.

Similarly, 8Flow.ai raised $6.6M to automate customer support workflows. While a process-centric focus speeds up automation, it can be tricky to automate additional flows, especially for high intellect jobs requiring significant specialization.

Mentally: A New Breed of Hyper Automation

Inspired by the Star Trek series, where computers amplify the capabilities of smart people, the founders of Mentally are taking a unique approach. Focusing on automating the process around a specific business persona – Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), Mentally seeks to increase the profitability and scalability of service, enhance employee satisfaction, and improve customer retention.

Mentally leverages the emerging trend of electronic invoicing in Europe, simplifying invoice registration across multiple companies, and freeing professionals from routine tasks such as bank and invoice line-item matching. Its powerful personal assistant also accelerates consulting tasks, and tools for automated analytic insights multiply the CPA’s ability to provide business advisory services.

Mentally’s approach ensures that professionals can focus on added-value services such as tax advisory, litigation, and business consulting, transforming their work into a more quantitative and intriguing process.

Democratizing Hyperautomation for Small and Medium Businesses

Most RPA tools are tailored for large enterprises with substantial yearly commitments, leaving small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) grappling with automation challenges. Mentally flips the narrative, offering SMBs easy access to the benefits of process automation traditionally reserved for large companies.

The founders of Mentally believe in democratizing AI and hyperautomation, breaking the monopoly of large tech companies, and enabling smaller entities to reap the benefits of automation. They envision a world where humans are free from mundane tasks and can focus on meaningful, interesting work.

Mentally: Poised for  Breakthrough

Mentally has bootstrapped its way to acquire tens of B2B customers in this niche market, developing expertise in customer acquisition techniques. Word-of-mouth referrals from existing customers, coupled with a product already in the market, testify to Mentally’s impact.

With a team armed with decades of Silicon Valley experience, go-to-market partnerships with Silver Lake and Hellman & Friedman portfolio companies, and further collaborations with local players, Mentally is poised for a breakthrough. With an intriguing roadmap and a slew of products aimed at disrupting the market, Mentally is a venture worth keeping on your radar. The opportunity to participate in a mission-driven company striving to democratize AI and automation isn’t one to be missed lightly.