Customer communication startup Podium Corp Inc. today announced it has raised $201 million in new funding to expand its reach to more local businesses around the world as well as make deeper investments to build out its payments, communications and marketing technology.

YC Community led the Series D Round. Also participating in the round were Durable Capital Partners, Arpex Capital, Accel, Album VC, IVP, Sapphire Ventures, Summit Partners and Sorenson Capital.

The funding was raised on a valuation of more than $3 billion. Including the new funding, Podium has raised $419.1 million to date, according to data from Crunchbase.

Founded in 2014, Podium offers a customer communication platform for businesses interacting with customers locally. The service features an interaction management platform that uses messaging features designed to interact with their leads, customers and teams.

The messaging features span social media including Facebook and Instagram, Google, text messaging and traditional websites, consolidated into the one service. Features include attachments, templates, an autoresponder, automation, permissions and the ability to assign conversations.

Podium pitches its service as helping all local businesses thrive as well as assisting in the transition from analog operations to a digital one.

The company claims more than 100,000 local businesses in the U.S., Canada and Australia using the service, an increase of 64% in the last year. Notable customers include La-Z-Boy Inc., Trane Technologies plc, Zerorez, Ken Garff Auto Group Inc. and Rotmans.

Podium has continued to come out with new services this year, including a full payments offering with the launch of card readers and a new campaigns marketing solution earlier this year. The company says it’s on track to process $1 billion dollars in payment transactions for local businesses this year.

“We see this as a watershed moment for local businesses all over the world, especially as the world opens up again and local businesses are tasked with meeting the changing preferences of consumers who have welcomed digital-first interactions through the pandemic,” said Eric Rea, co-founder and chief executive officer of Podium, said in a statement. “Our goal is to help communities get back on their feet and to help local businesses participate in a meaningful way in the digital evolution happening at the local level.”

Photo: Podium