pap! Company Profile

Background

Overview

pap! is a technology startup founded in 2024, headquartered in Berkeley, California. The company specializes in automating refund claims for consumers by scanning email receipts, thereby recovering funds owed due to price drops and flight delays. By leveraging artificial intelligence, pap! aims to ensure that consumers receive the money they are entitled to without manual intervention.

Mission and Vision

pap!'s mission is to empower consumers by automating the process of reclaiming funds from price adjustments, flight delays, and other entitlements, thereby enhancing financial well-being. The company's vision is to create a seamless experience where consumers can effortlessly recover money owed to them, transforming the way individuals manage and reclaim their finances.

Primary Area of Focus

The primary focus of pap! is to develop and provide AI-driven solutions that automate the identification and recovery of funds owed to consumers, particularly in scenarios involving price adjustments and flight delays.

Industry Significance

In an era where consumers often miss out on refunds due to unawareness or the complexity of the process, pap! addresses a significant gap in the market by offering an automated solution that simplifies and streamlines the refund recovery process.

Key Strategic Focus

Core Objectives

Automated Refund Recovery: Develop AI agents that can autonomously scan email receipts, identify eligible refund opportunities, and initiate claims on behalf of consumers.

Consumer Empowerment: Provide a hassle-free service that enables consumers to recover funds they are entitled to without manual effort.

Specific Areas of Specialization

Price Adjustment Refunds: Automate the process of securing refunds when purchased items drop in price post-purchase.

Flight Delay Compensation: Assist consumers in obtaining compensation for flight delays and cancellations.

Class-Action Lawsuit Claims: Help consumers claim their share in class-action settlements.

Key Technologies Utilized

Artificial Intelligence: Employ AI to analyze unstructured data from email receipts and identify refund opportunities.

Natural Language Processing (NLP): Utilize NLP to interpret and interact with customer service communications.

Primary Markets or Conditions Targeted

Retail Sector: Target consumers who frequently shop online and are eligible for price adjustment refunds.

Aviation Industry: Assist travelers affected by flight delays and cancellations in securing compensation.

Legal Sector: Enable consumers to claim their portion in class-action settlements.

Financials and Funding

Funding History

As of January 2026, pap! has raised a total of approximately $2.6 million in funding. The most recent funding round was a venture series, closed on April 14, 2025, amounting to $2.6 million.

Notable Investors

Y Combinator: A renowned startup accelerator that supported pap! during its early stages.

General Catalyst: A venture capital firm investing in early-stage companies.

Goodwater Capital: A venture capital firm focusing on consumer technology investments.

Intended Utilization of Capital

The funds raised are intended to support the development and scaling of pap!'s AI-driven refund automation platform, enhance customer acquisition strategies, and expand the company's market presence.

Pipeline Development

Key Pipeline Candidates

AI Agents for Refund Automation: Developing AI agents capable of autonomously scanning email receipts, identifying eligible refund opportunities, and initiating claims.

Stages of Development

Product Development: Ongoing development of AI algorithms and integration with email platforms.

Beta Testing: Conducting beta tests to refine the user experience and ensure the accuracy of refund claims.

Target Conditions

Price Adjustments: Automating the recovery of funds when purchased items drop in price post-purchase.

Flight Delays and Cancellations: Assisting travelers in obtaining compensation for flight disruptions.

Class-Action Settlements: Enabling consumers to claim their share in class-action settlements.

Anticipated Milestones

Product Launch: Expected to launch the AI-driven refund automation platform in the second quarter of 2026.

User Acquisition: Aim to onboard 100,000 users within the first six months post-launch.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Proprietary Technologies

AI-Powered Refund Automation: A proprietary AI system that scans email receipts, identifies eligible refund opportunities, and initiates claims on behalf of consumers.

Significant Scientific Methods

Natural Language Processing (NLP): Utilized to interpret and interact with customer service communications, facilitating the refund claim process.

Leadership Team

Kamal Nahas – Co-Founder and CEO

Professional Background: Holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from UC Berkeley. Previously interned at Apple as a Security/ML software engineer.

Key Contributions: Led operations resulting in feeding over 230 families for an entire month and housing more than 25 civilians in Lebanon.

Anthony Rassi – Co-Founder and COO

Professional Background: Graduated from USC in Computer Engineering and Computer Sciences. Worked at Addepar as a software engineer intern.

Key Contributions: Built a five-figure affiliate marketing business and led an engineering team at Lebanon's largest retailer.

Weijie Wang – Co-Founder and CTO

Professional Background: Graduated from the University of Waterloo and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Served as the lead infrastructure engineer for Wish's recommendation system.

Key Contributions: Played a pivotal role in Wish's IPO by developing the recommendation system that fueled the company's growth.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The market for automated consumer refund services is emerging, with increasing consumer awareness of price adjustment policies and the potential for recovering funds. The growth of e-commerce and the complexity of refund processes present opportunities for innovative solutions like pap!.

Competitor Analysis

Paribus: A service that monitors price drops and helps consumers claim refunds.

RebatesMe: Offers cashback and refund services for online shoppers.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

pap! has established partnerships with various retailers and airlines to facilitate the refund process for consumers. Additionally, the company collaborates with financial institutions to integrate its services into banking platforms, enhancing accessibility for users.

Operational Insights

pap! differentiates itself by offering a fully automated solution that requires minimal user intervention, setting it apart from competitors that may require manual tracking or claim submissions. The company's AI-driven approach allows for scalability and efficiency in processing a large volume of refund claims.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Expansion into New Markets: pap! plans to extend its services to international markets, adapting to various retail and airline refund policies.

Integration with E-Commerce Platforms: By integrating with major e-commerce platforms, pap! aims to provide seamless refund services directly within the shopping experience.

Enhancement of AI Capabilities: Continuous improvement of AI algorithms to increase the accuracy and speed of refund claims, ensuring higher success rates for users.