The platform has emerged as a favorite with companies like Adobe and HCA Healthcare

Rasa, the maker of an open source development platform for AI-based assistants, raised $26 million in a Series B round led by Andreessen Horowitz.

The San Francisco-based company plans to use the funds to expand its business by further developing its open source tech and applied research, and increasing its staff.

In the open

Rasa, founded in Berlin in 2016, helps developers use Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities in their software and is working on a standardized infrastructure layer for conversational AI.

Its software platform is used to create chatbots for clients ranging from startups such as Eddy Travels, Unique.ai, and Doodle, to market leaders like Adobe, HCA Healthcare, and Travelers.

Six of the world’s 10 largest banks, five of the 10 largest global telecommunications firms, and half of the 10 largest insurance companies rely on Rasa’s tooling to build AI assistants, according to the company.

The platform is also used in altruistic projects: for example, building assistants to support education on COVID-19, or making certain systems more accessible to people with dementia.

“Our mission at Rasa is to empower all makers to build AI assistants that work for everyone,” Alex Weidauer, co-founder and CEO of Rasa, said in a blog post. “We envision a world where conversational AI makes technology as easy to use as having a conversation.”

In addition to Andreessen Horowitz, the funding round included Accel, the Cultural Leadership Fund, 468 Capital, Basis Set Ventures, and Mango Capital.

Rasa Open Source 2.0 is expected to launch later this year.