Ekho has raised a total of $17.3 million across its Seed and Series A funding rounds to advance its mission of bringing fully digital, compliant vehicle transactions to the mainstream. The $15M Series A was led by Activant Capital, with participation from JPMorgan Payments, Winnebago Industries, and Y Combinator. Other investors include RiverPark Ventures, Westcott Investment Group, Funding Secured (the Tesla alumni fund), Steve Rayman (auto dealer operator), Severin Hacker (CTO, Duolingo), Billy Blaustein (launched Tesla Direct Delivery), and Jimmy Douglas (former Tesla executive).
While consumers increasingly expect to complete major purchases online, vehicle sales have remained stubbornly offline. Legacy dealership systems, complex state regulations, and franchise laws create a tangled web of compliance and logistics—making seamless digital sales challenging.
“Everyone knows the vehicle-buying experience needs to change—Tesla has set the bar and there is no going back on consumer expectations,” said Andrew Steele, Partner at Activant.
The funding will allow Ekho to expand its engineering team, strengthen its state-level compliance infrastructure, and scale its platform for growing demand among OEMs, marketplaces, and dealers.
Ekho also recently brought on Mike Cunningham, formerly of Piaggio, Triumph, and Zero Motorcycles, to lead OEM and dealer relations, underscoring its commitment to aligning industry stakeholders. “Ekho is building what this industry has needed for decades — it’s why I sought them out,” Cunningham noted.
Ekho was founded by Rowan Mockler and Chris Howard, who met at Stanford while studying computer science. They were inspired by the gap between what consumers wanted—fully digital vehicle purchasing—and what the industry could deliver. Tesla’s direct sales model showed it was possible, but most OEMs and dealers lacked the tools and infrastructure.
The team built Ekho to automate the messy, state-specific parts of buying a car: titling, taxes, registration, financing, and more—while keeping dealers at the center of the transaction. Today, Ekho’s platform supports multinational OEMs, dealer networks, and fast-growing new entrants across the U.S.
Ekho’s solution combines AI-driven automation, state-by-state compliance infrastructure, and integrations with legacy systems—offering buyers a streamlined checkout experience while preserving dealer margins and upsell opportunities.
The company offers three configurations:
In its first year of live sales, Ekho has already enabled tens of millions in partner revenue, powering entirely online transactions—including financing and paperwork—in just minutes.
Ekho’s investor roster reflects its broad appeal across commerce and automotive sectors. Alongside lead investor Activant Capital, participants include J.P. Morgan Payments, Winnebago Industries, Y Combinator, RiverPark Ventures, Westcott Investment Group, and individual investors such as Tesla alumni, Duolingo’s CTO, and seasoned auto dealers.
“We are excited to support Ekho in redefining the vehicle purchase experience,” said Jason Tiede, Global Head of Corporate Development & Partnerships at J.P. Morgan Payments.
