The company’s technology captures demand from consumers across calls, catering, private events and inquiries about large orders, identifying intent and urgency. It then uses these signals to inform and coordinate work processes for managers.

Palona, based in Los Altos, California, works with businesses in the restaurant sector but is looking to extend to include other physical businesses, where customers interact with frontline teams directly.

The company’s proprietary model represents how people, objects, places and processes relate over time, using spatial, temporal and semantic context with calibrated uncertainty to determine what is happening and whether any action is needed.

The funding round investors included Ardenwood Ventures, CrimsonOx and UpHonest. Palona’s product suite includes revenue expansion, revenue intelligence and operations excellence.

Maria Zhang, founder and chief executive, Palona AI, said: "Palona turns demand, operational context and live signals into actions that drive revenue, quality and execution."