To-do lists are relentless. So is that nagging feeling that it’s impossible to stay on top of everything. We knew there had to be a better way, so we built it. Today we’re launching Duckbill: an execution engine that gives people the nuance and personal touch of a personal assistant combined with AI’s efficiency. We’re also thrilled to have raised $33 million in seed and Series A funding led by Forerunner Ventures, alongside Greycroft Partners, Inspired Capital, General Catalyst, G9 Ventures, Red Antler, Future Back Ventures by Bain & Company and Offline Ventures.
The idea for Duckbill came from personal experience. As we grew in our careers, we found ourselves spending countless hours attempting to keep up with our home lives on top of our day jobs. It turns out that this is a major characteristic of 21st century living: we all spend too much time and energy on our endless to-do lists. The average American spends more than 4 hours a week querying the internet, and several more hours executing on what they find - purchasing, planning, calling, paperwork-ing. This burden has contributed to record-high levels of burnout, particularly among women (62%), millennials (65%), and Gen Z (71%).
For a very small percentage of people, there are personal assistants—a luxury that’s largely out of reach and a service that can’t scale. We knew there must be a way for tech to help address this issue, especially because the majority of everyone’s tasks - no matter who you are - are actually strikingly similar. Few look forward to fixing broken appliances, finally getting a REAL ID or sorting out that medical bill with an insurance company.
In the meantime, AI evolved to meet this moment and by keeping humans in the loop, we knew we could ensure perfect execution for planning a trip on a budget, finding the perfect repair person or picking out a personal gift. With new advances in technology, we’re combining the foundation of generative AI and the superpower of human experts to build an execution engine that anticipates, researches, and executes on tasks—from scheduling routine car maintenance and booking a last-minute flight to sending celebratory flowers to a friend. Members can submit tasks large and small however they prefer— be it via our app, text, email, voice memo, and chat. The result: a service that allows you to outsource the “life admin” that drains you so you can spend time doing what you love most. We’ve already completed thousands of tasks for our beta members and are thrilled to introduce our service to you today.
Our name comes from a duck’s bill, which acts as a sixth sense for anticipating opportunities and risks before they arise, a tool to tackle them when they do, and is a critical part of survival in the modern world. We want Duckbill to be an integrated part of your daily routine, serving as a service that brings you joys, lowers your stress and makes your life easier. We can’t wait for you to try Duckbill out and share your experience.