Think of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system as the unseen nervous system pulsing at the core of a company. Finance, human resources, inventory—departments that usually run on their own tracks—suddenly become part of a single network. Here, every team draws from the same well of data; confusion recedes, and clarity takes the front seat.
Recently, though, a new wave of startups—Rillet, Campfire, and others fueled by artificial intelligence—have marched into the arena, setting their sights on toppling old titans like NetSuite. These fresh players argue the old guard is weighed down by their own bulk: ERPs are clunky, pricey, and slow to bring online. No one wants to wrestle with a giant when there’s a nimble new product flirting with automation and simplicity.
But not everyone is convinced this “new is better” mantra paints the whole picture. Wiley Jones, Doss’s co-founder and CEO, isn’t taken in. He points to a gap in these newcomers’ ambitions: most AI-powered ERPs, he says, barely scratch the surface when it comes to inventory management. “Synchronizing the actual, physical goods with the company’s books—is a pain point they haven’t solved,” Jones noted. Inventory, for many, remains a stubborn blind spot.
Now, Doss enters the story at this crossroads. Instead of building just another AI ERP, Doss carves a more precise path: it promises an AI-native inventory management layer that can sit atop any accounting system, whether it’s an old-school ERP or one spun up by the new digital generation. In effect, Doss wants to be the connective tissue—plugging the gap left by everyone else, regardless of brand or backend.
On Tuesday, Doss made headlines with a $55 million Series B raise led by Madrona and Premji Invest, joined by Intuit Ventures. The round drew some usual suspects—the likes of Theory Ventures, General Catalyst, Contrary Capital, Greyhound Capital—each betting that Doss’s tailored approach stands apart in a crowded sector.
Doss’s journey hasn’t always pointed in this direction. Founded in 2022, it began as yet another AI-led accounting startup, ready to compete head-to-head with the likes of Rillet and Campfire. But by last year, a shift in thinking emerged. Jones reflects, “We realized we didn’t need to outgun them on all fronts. We could work alongside them. Focus on what everyone overlooked.”
Today, many of Doss’s partners are, in fact, former rivals. Rillet and Campfire are now allies in integration, not combat. A good number of Doss’s customers use QuickBooks—inertia still powerful in the world of finance—alongside its own inventory tools.
“Most of these companies have no real motivation to dive deep into managing physical inventory,” Jones explains. “It doesn’t make sense for them to build these features from scratch when it requires so much focus and expertise. That’s where we come in.”
Doss mostly courts mid-sized consumer brands, with annual revenues spanning from $20 to $250 million. One such example is Verve Coffee Roasters, a name synonymous with artisan coffee, where precision in inventory matches the pursuit of the perfect roast.
Despite its inventive focus, Doss doesn’t claim the new guard has the field to itself. Legacy ERPs aren’t going down without a fight. NetSuite, for instance, isn’t stuck in the past; it’s busy rolling out its own AI-powered updates, intent on maintaining relevance. Doss also finds itself up against startups like Didero, that chase the elusive goal of seamless procurement.
Jones is candid about the hurdles ahead. Persuading companies to run both an accounting platform and a dedicated inventory tool isn’t always an easy sell. Old ERPs, for all their headaches, do promise an all-in-one solution—at least in theory. But in practice? “Most legacy platforms are so convoluted, customers often prefer two AI-driven systems tailored to real business pain points, rather than fighting with one oversized, outdated product,” Jones says.
As he sees it, the real battle will play out not among tech giants or household brands, but within the chessboard of the mid-market. Here, the winner may simply be the team that crafts the clearest, most agent-friendly architecture—one where process and clarity outweigh brute force.
The story, in short, isn’t about AI replacing old with new. It’s about meeting real needs—turning chaos into clarity, and, sometimes, knowing exactly where to step aside and let someone else take the lead.
