We’re excited to announce that New Stack Ventures has led the seed round in SparkServ, backing founders McKenna (“MK”) Valley, TJ Higgins, and Luke Bidigare-Curtis as they build the modern communication layer for dealership service teams.
At New Stack, we invest in companies solving real, everyday operational pain points with practical, high-leverage technology. SparkServ fits that thesis squarely. The team is transforming one of the most overlooked yet critical parts of the automotive ecosystem: fixed operations and customer service communication.
Service departments today are often stuck managing a fragmented mix of phone calls, texts, and manual follow-ups — a reactive workflow that creates friction for both customers and staff. SparkServ turns that messy communication into organized, proactive outreach that drives better experiences and stronger economics.
AI That Supports — Not Replaces — Service Teams
SparkServ’s approach to AI is grounded and immediately useful. Rather than sidelining service advisors, Spark AI enhances their effectiveness by automating routine scheduling, check-ins, and follow-ups through intelligent SMS communication. The result is a system that helps teams operate more efficiently while staying focused on high-value customer interactions.
By meeting customers where they already are — on their mobile devices — Spark AI creates a simpler, more transparent service experience. Customers receive clear communication about recommended maintenance and next steps, while dealerships benefit from:
- Increased appointment volume
- Higher service attachment rates
- Significant time savings for staff
- Improved customer retention and loyalty
- Stronger fixed-ops revenue performance
Early results are already showing meaningful gains in both customer satisfaction and dealership profitability.
Building Essential Infrastructure for Modern Dealerships
We believe SparkServ is building essential infrastructure for modern dealership operations. Their platform helps dealerships get more from their existing teams while delivering a smoother, more responsive service experience that customers notice and appreciate.
Backing MK, TJ, and Luke supports our goal of championing founders who apply AI in practical, high-impact ways — supercharging people in the lane rather than replacing them. Their approach is both thoughtful and immediately useful, already demonstrating real impact on loyalty and service revenue.
We’re proud to lead this round alongside Automotive Ventures and excited to support SparkServ as they help dealerships unlock new revenue, improve retention, and deliver a modern service experience.
Learn more about SparkServ here on their website.