Stella Automotive AI
Tampa, US · Founded 2022 · Delaware corporation · 10 known investors
STELLA Automotive AI provides industry-specific AI for car dealerships, handling customer interactions across voice, text, and chat to automate engagement and support dealership teams. Founded in 2022, it integrates with major dealer systems and serves dealerships across North America.
Founders & leadership
Stella Automotive AI was founded in 2022 by Sidney Haider.
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Sidney HaiderFounder
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Rich SandsinChief Executive OfficerHe brings 25 years of automotive industry experience, including leadership roles in sales, marketing, supply chain, and operations at major OEMs, Microsoft's vehicle safety telematics division, and Covisint's e-sourcing platform, along with founding True North Enterprises in 2013 and serving as a board director at Urban Science.
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Bob HaeffnerinChief Financial Officer & Vice President, Operations
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Stephen BrowninChief AI OfficerStephen Brown is Chief AI Officer of Stella Automotive AI, which provides AI-powered customer engagement solutions for car dealerships. He has 28+ years of production software experience and 8+ years specializing in AI systems deployment, with expertise in building agent systems and evaluating production reliability.
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Fred SeidelmaninChief Technology Officer
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Josselyn BoudettNamed on SEC filing
Board
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Brodie CobbBoard director
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Steve DerbyBoard director
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William KnowlesBoard director
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Darin ClayBoard director
Investors · 10
Also in the syndicate · 10
Bowers Automotive GroupFlow AutomotiveFord Family InvestmentsMBB Auto GroupMileOne AutogroupMills Automotive GroupOREMOR Automotive GroupQvale Auto GroupReynolds and ReynoldsWest Herr Auto Group
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements$26M disclosed across 2 of 3 rounds · 2023–2026
- Undisclosed amountSeries AMay 2024
Bowers Automotive Group, Flow Automotive, Ford Family Investments, MBB Auto Group, MileOne Autogroup, Mills Automotive Group, OREMOR Automotive Group, Qvale Auto Group, Reynolds and Reynolds, West Herr Auto Group
Source ↗
▶$22MraisedJun 2026 · 29 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$22MraisedJun 2026 · 29 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- William KnowlesDirector
- Brodie CobbDirector
- Steve DerbyDirector
- Sidney HaiderDirector
- Richard SandsExecutive Officer
- Robert John HaeffnerExecutive Officer
- Darin ClayDirector
- Offering amount
- $26M
- Amount sold
- $22M
- Sales commissions
- $209.9K
- Placement agents
- Presidio Merchant Partners LLC
- First sale
- Jun 2026
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2022
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$4MraisedJun 2023 · 12 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$4MraisedJun 2023 · 12 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Josselyn BoudettExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Offering amount
- $4M
- Amount sold
- $4M
- Sales commissions
- $280K
- Placement agents
- Brodie Cobb
- First sale
- May 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2022
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Competitors · 10
by search overlap
Podium27 shared keywordsPodium provides an AI-powered customer engagement platform that automates appointment booking and lead conversion for local businesses across multiple industries, enabling 24/7 customer response and higher conversion rates.
fullpath19 shared keywordsFullpath provides a customer data platform (CDP) and agentic CRM for car dealerships, unifying data from sources like the website, CRM, and DMS into a single customer profile. Its AI agents automate marketing, lead handling, and appointment booking to improve dealership staff productivity and marketing efficiency.
Mia18 shared keywordsMia builds AI tools to modernize automotive dealership sales and operations and improve the consumer buying experience. Founded in 2023, it targets car dealerships in the US automotive retail industry.
Capital One16 shared keywordsCapital One is a financial services company that offers credit cards, checking and savings accounts, auto financing, and business banking products to consumers and small businesses. The company provides digital banking tools, rewards programs, and credit monitoring services.
AutoAlert16 shared keywordsAutoAlert provides customer experience management software and data analytics tools for automotive dealerships to enhance customer relationships and drive repeat sales and service revenue.
spincar16 shared keywordsImpel builds an AI Operating System for automotive retailers that unifies customer interactions across merchandising, sales, service, and repurchase. The platform serves automotive dealers and OEMs globally to improve operational efficiency and customer experience.
Numa15 shared keywordsNuma builds AI for car dealership operations, focused on automating and managing dealership communication. It serves automotive dealerships with an AI system for handling customer conversations.
Toma14 shared keywordsToma builds AI software that automates customer interactions for automotive dealerships, helping recover lost sales revenue.
Cox Automotive12 shared keywordsCox Automotive's EV Battery Solutions division provides comprehensive battery lifecycle management for electric and hybrid vehicles, including diagnostics, repair, refurbishment, recycling, storage, and logistics. The company serves automotive businesses across North America and Europe with a network of service centers and recycling facilities.
Spyne12 shared keywordsSpyne provides an AI-powered platform that helps car dealers source, list, market, and sell vehicles. The platform serves automotive dealers looking to streamline their digital operations and brand management.
Companies competing with Stella Automotive AI for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
In the news
Stella Automotive AI has filed a notice of an exempt offering of securities to raise $25,996,596.00 in New Funding. - intelligence360intelligence360.news · Jul 2026Frequently asked questions
- What does Stella Automotive AI do?
- STELLA Automotive AI provides industry-specific AI for car dealerships, handling customer interactions across voice, text, and chat to automate engagement and support dealership teams. Founded in 2022, it integrates with major dealer systems and serves dealerships across North America.
- Who founded Stella Automotive AI?
- Stella Automotive AI was founded by Sidney Haider in 2022.
- How much funding has Stella Automotive AI raised?
- Stella Automotive AI has disclosed $26M raised across 2 of its 3 known rounds.
- Where is Stella Automotive AI headquartered?
- Stella Automotive AI is headquartered in Tampa, US.