Ribit AI — Revolutionizing customer experience in the automotive industry

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The automotive industry might not seem like a place to find a trailblazing entrepreneur reshaping how businesses interact with their customers. However, Kiera Fogg, CEO and Founder of Ribit AI, has done just that.

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With a diverse background in marketing, communications and entrepreneurship, Fogg is a testament to the power of reinvention, resilience, and the unique perspective women bring to a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Before founding Ribit AI, Fogg was no stranger to entrepreneurial success. Her first venture, Little Box of Rocks, launched in 2015 and became an overnight sensation. Within months, her crystal gift sets were featured in celebrity gift guides and appeared in O (the Oprah Magazine), Vogue, and People magazine, among others. The pandemic shifted everything, however. Facing the loss of a number of her retailers, Fogg reevaluated her path.

Personal crossroads led her to the automotive industry where she found the inspiration to launch her tech startup — Ribit AI.

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The automotive industry isn’t known for its female leaders, which made Fogg’s entrance all the more significant. Her initial role as Vice President of Communications for an automotive marketing company opened her eyes to a major issue: The lack of genuine customer care.

“We would see instances where customers would write in, saying things like, ‘Stop texting me. This is not my husband’s phone number. He’s passed away. I’ve told you this several times.’ I remember seeing that and thinking how awful it would be to be that widow — to keep being reminded of that hurt,” Fogg said.

These experiences, combined with her customer-centric background, inspired her to create Ribit AI — a tool designed to enhance human connection rather than replace it.

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“Maybe it took a woman’s perspective to see that,” she added. “We kind of have a different way of looking at things.”

Approximately half of all customers who reach out to car dealerships don’t receive a callback, according to Fogg. This lack of follow up costs the industry hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Ribit AI ensures every customer inquiry is responded to using intuitive AI to provide personalized, meaningful interactions, from holiday greetings to birthday messages.

Ribit AI serves approximately 78,000 independent and franchised dealerships in North America —  predominantly in Canada and California. Ribit AI’s goal is to service two per cent of the market by 2029.

To Fogg, it’s the small, thoughtful touches that make a big difference in customer retention. “My mom always tells me about her finance guy who does her investments, and she won’t switch because he sends her a turkey every Christmas,” Fogg said. “It’s just thinking like that.”

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Fogg isn’t just fixing the cracks in customer communication — she’s building bridges that foster loyalty and trust.

No entrepreneur succeeds alone, and for Fogg, North Forge played a pivotal role in her journey. A participant in the organization’s Founders Program, Fogg values North Forge’s flexibility and tailored approach. Their four-stage program provides tech entrepreneurs and startups with the resources, mentorship, and guidance needed to transform their ideas into thriving businesses.

“It’s a very flexible program and doesn’t approach you with a rigid, ‘this is how you’re going to scale’ mentality, which I’ve seen with some of the other programs out there,” Fogg said. “North Forge meets you where you are in your entrepreneurial journey and provides you with the resources that you actually need in that moment.”

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Fogg also accessed resources like ElevateIP through North Forge, a federally funded initiative that helped Ribit AI develop a robust intellectual property strategy. For early-stage businesses, that kind of support is game-changing.

“For entrepreneurs, when they’re starting a business and bootstrapping a business, it’s usually very, very difficult to be able to invest in things like that,” she explained.

Beyond the practical tools, Fogg found inspiration and a sense of community, particularly as a woman in tech. That being said, she admits that biases still exist when it comes to men versus women working in the industry.

“Often we hear, ‘Oh, she’s so creative’, and it’s like thank you, but no. There’s a lot more to it than that. I’ve just loved how the [Founder’s] program has empowered me, and I’ve seen it empower women specifically to do things that are incredibly challenging to do.”

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Entrepreneurship is both a challenge and a thrill to Fogg. “With a personality like mine, it can be really hard to be confined to a traditional job,” she admitted. “You have freedom, but with that freedom comes the responsibility of managing everything from the top down and the bottom up.”

Despite pressures, Fogg is driven by the potential for change. “What excites me is that anything is possible when you start your own business,” she said. Fogg is proving that statement true with Ribit AI, revolutionizing the way the automotive industry connects with its customers and setting a new standard for customer experience.

For women aspiring to make their mark in tech or any male-dominated field, Fogg’s story is an inspiring reminder: With the right tools, vision, and support, there’s no limit to what’s possible.

Want AI powered sales solutions for your dealership? Learn more about Ribit AI’s game-changing technology at www.ribit.ai, and discover how North Forge’s ElevateIP program can help protect your innovations at www.northforge.ca/elevateip.

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