LIFE IS HARD invests €250,000 in RepsMate, a Romanian deep-tech startup

LIFE IS HARD SA (LIH), the first Romanian software company listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange – AeRO market, Premium segment – announces a strategic investment of €250,000 in RepsMate, a deep-tech startup specialized in conversational AI and the intelligent automation of company-customer interactions. This investment reinforces the growth direction of LIFE IS HARD’s ENGINE division, which focuses on the digitalization of SMEs and public institutions through advanced, scalable, and easily integrable technology solutions.

RepsMate is a Romanian player in applied artificial intelligence, with proprietary technology already validated in key industries such as telecommunications, banking, energy, healthcare, and retail. Its platform – Revenue OS – analyzes 100% of interactions between agents and clients in real time, providing contextual guidance, conversational coaching, and predictive tools that improve team performance and streamline operational flows. With a full-stack conversational infrastructure, GDPR and EU AI Act compliant, RepsMate enables companies to retain full control over how they engage with their customers and respond to evolving needs.

The investment from LIFE IS HARD is structured as a convertible loan over a two-year period. Under the agreed terms, if a liquidity event occurs before the loan matures, the amount will be converted into equity at the lower of either a €7 million valuation or a mutually agreed valuation. Should no such event take place 30 days prior to the end of the term, LIFE IS HARD retains the right to convert the loan into equity at a post-money valuation of €7 million, or to request full repayment of the loan plus an annual interest of 15%. In the event RepsMate fails to fulfil its conversion obligations as set out in the contract, the loan becomes due and payable with the same 15% annual interest.

This structure allows LIH early access to strategic technology and the potential for significant capital appreciation, while also enabling functional integration between the ENGINE division and RepsMate’s advanced conversational solutions. This convergence directly addresses the increasingly pressing demand for efficiency, speed, and personalization from SMEs and local governments undergoing accelerated digital transformation.

For LIFE IS HARD, the investment adds a validated, ready-to-deploy product to the ENGINE portfolio, suitable for projects dedicated to SMEs and public sector entities – particularly in the areas of customer support, citizen engagement, and high-volume digital or phone-based interactions. RepsMate complements the company’s current digital transformation capabilities, enabling it to deliver an integrated suite of solutions – from core software infrastructure to real-time conversational automation, operational analytics, and contextual intelligence.

This integration will allow LIFE IS HARD to more effectively address the operational challenges faced by SMEs in recruiting, training, and retaining front-office staff. In a context where staff turnover, limited real-time visibility, and mounting cost pressures directly impact service quality and customer satisfaction, Revenue OS provides live AI coaching for agents and actionable performance insights for managers, without the need for intrusive interventions.

“From LIFE IS HARD’s perspective, this investment marks the beginning of a clear strategic direction in the field of applied AI. It’s a natural extension of our existing competencies in digital transformation and a concrete step towards building an intelligent operational ecosystem – one that connects data, interactions, and organizational processes into a coherent, flexible, and high-performance system,” said Cătălin Chiș, CEO of LIFE IS HARD.

“In a time when companies across all sectors are forced to rethink how they communicate, sell, and support their customers, LIFE IS HARD reaffirms its mission to deliver More Life through intelligent digital solutions that have an immediate impact on operational efficiency, personalization, and customer experience. RepsMate is not just a financially promising investment; it is also a catalyst for a new way of working within the ENGINE division, which will benefit from one of the most advanced conversational analytics platforms on the European market,” added Cătălin Chiș.

This investment underscores LIFE IS HARD’s ability to identify and integrate cutting-edge tech solutions into its ecosystem, accelerating the digital transformation of its client base and strengthening its role as a key technology partner in the digital economy.