Calgary-based Chata Technologies, which has developed a cloud-based conversational application allowing users to access, search, and analyze their business data through natural language, has raised a $4.5 million CAD seed round. "It's been very exciting to see the vast potential and profound implications of Conversational AI-based data interactions." The funding was raised from undisclosed local investors, with the round officially closing in August. The new capital will be put towards the research, development, and implementation of Chata Technologies' new product, Data Messenger, currently under the name Chata.io. Chata Technologies claims that the product is the first conversational interface designed specifically for data query and analysis.

We've created a conversational user interface (UI) that allows people to intuitively communicate with databases so they can get answers from their data quickly and easily. What does this look like in practice? We're focused on helping small and medium-sized businesses make their data work for them, so we've built our interface to facilitate data access and analysis through natural language processing and dynamic query building. In simpler terms, users can ask questions in their own words and get answers from the business software they use day-to-day, in real time. We believe that being able to understand and access your data can help you make strong decisions about your business.

It's an unseasonably warm fall afternoon and chata.ai CEO Kelly Cherniwchan is dressed in only a Star Wars t-shirt and jeans as he sinks into a deep leather chair in the meeting room at the top of The Edison in downtown Calgary.