The AI collaboration startup Cove is set to cease operations as its entire team joins Microsoft. Customers were informed via email that the service will be discontinued on April 1, and all user data will be deleted.
Cove was established in late 2023 by former Google Maps engineers Stephen Chau, Andy Szybalski, and Mike Chu. The startup raised $6 million in seed funding from investors including Sequoia Capital and others in 2024.
The platform featured an infinite whiteboard that allowed users to generate various task blocks, enhancing flexibility compared to traditional chat interfaces. Users could also integrate a built-in browser, PDFs, and images to enrich the AI's context.
Cove competed with established platforms like Miro, TLDraw, and Kosmik in the collaboration space.
In the announcement, Cove confirmed that it has refunded all subscriptions for March and is providing a data export process for users. The founders expressed excitement about continuing their mission within Microsoft AI, emphasizing their commitment to transforming collaboration.
Microsoft has previously integrated AI features into its own collaboration tools, such as the Copilot in Whiteboard, indicating that the innovations from Cove will be incorporated into Microsoft's offerings.
As the transition unfolds, it remains to be seen how Microsoft will integrate Cove's technology into its ecosystem.
