The shift to remote work spurred by the pandemic has presented challenges in maintaining team connection. Loop Team, a new company in the enterprise communications sector, believes current communication methods require improvement. Consequently, the startup is launching Loop Team today, a platform designed to replicate the in-office experience through software.

Raj Singh, founder and CEO of the company, discovered the difficulties of remote disconnection firsthand during his time at a previous remote-first organization. Despite his efforts to leverage technology for a more connected feel, he consistently felt uninformed. This experience motivated him to create his own solution.

“We analyzed the numerous interactions that occur in a physical office – visual cues, casual conversations, spontaneous encounters, and so on. We then developed a virtual environment that aims to capture the most valuable aspects of a traditional office setting,” Singh explained. “The goal is to provide a virtual equivalent of the physical office experience.”

Although the company was conceived before the COVID-19 outbreak, the pandemic underscored the necessity for a tool of this nature. Prior to developing the software, Singh conducted interviews with hundreds of remote workers to understand their challenges, revealing several recurring concerns.

“Many individuals felt unaware of ongoing activities and struggled to determine colleague availability. Connecting with others proved difficult, often requiring scheduled calendar appointments. They missed the sense of presence and experienced feelings of isolation or being excluded from important information,” he stated.

Loop Team addresses these issues by utilizing artificial intelligence, presence indicators, and other technologies to keep team members informed about each other’s activities and availability. Similar to observing a colleague on a call or focused on their work in a physical office, users can gain similar insights within Loop.

Furthermore, the tool allows for the creation of dedicated spaces, similar to channels in Slack, but emphasizes more personal connections through video and audio for direct communication. Project collaboration is facilitated through screen sharing, and recordings ensure those unable to attend live meetings can stay informed.

While functionalities like these are available in tools such as Slack and Zoom, Loop Team’s design prioritizes clarity and focuses on presenting relevant information while minimizing distractions.

The product is being released today with free access, and Singh anticipates introducing a subscription model next year based on team size. He plans to maintain a freemium version for teams of under 10 users.

Founded in 2018 and developed at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI), the company has secured $4.75 million in funding. Today marks the launch of its first product, arriving at a time when remote work is more prevalent than ever before.