Braze Launches Free Trial and Braze for Startups to Help Brands Kickstart Absolutely Engaging Customer Journeys

Rhea-AI Summary

Braze (Nasdaq: BRZE) has announced two new initiatives to help brands enhance customer engagement. The Braze for Startups program, launched with VC partner Left Lane Capital, offers VC-backed startups four months of free access to the Braze platform, supporting up to 2 million monthly active users and 120 million emails. Additionally, Braze is introducing a 14-day free trial of its customer engagement platform for brands of all sizes.

The Braze for Startups program includes growth onboarding services and continued platform use after the initial free period. The free trial features guided product tours, industry-specific templates, and hands-on platform use with BrazeAI-powered tools. Both initiatives aim to help brands experience Braze's capabilities firsthand and drive meaningful engagement and business results.

Positive

• Launch of Braze for Startups program offering 4 months free access to VC-backed startups
• Introduction of 14-day free trial for all brands
• Partnership with Left Lane Capital for the Braze for Startups program
• Potential for increased customer base and market share through these initiatives

Negative

• None.

Market Research Analyst

Braze's launch of a free trial and startup program represents a strategic move to expand its customer base and market share. This approach aligns with the freemium model prevalent in the SaaS industry, allowing potential clients to experience the platform's value before committing. The four-month free access for startups is particularly noteworthy, as it could lead to long-term customer acquisition if these startups grow and continue using Braze.

However, the impact on Braze's financials in the short term might be neutral to slightly negative, as the company will incur costs to support these free users. The long-term potential for converting these users into paying customers could offset this initial investment. The partnership with Left Lane Capital also suggests a strategic alignment with the VC ecosystem, which could lead to more startup partnerships and a stronger position in the high-growth startup market segment.

Tech Expert

From a technical perspective, Braze's offering of AI-powered tools and no-code editors in their free trial is significant. This aligns with the industry trend towards low-code/no-code solutions and AI integration in customer engagement platforms. The ability to support up to 2 million monthly active users (MAU) and 120 million emails for startups indicates robust infrastructure capabilities.

The emphasis on guided walkthroughs and pre-built templates suggests a focus on user experience and quick time-to-value, which is important for adoption in the competitive MarTech space. However, the true test will be in the platform's ability to scale and integrate with various tech stacks as startups grow. The success of this initiative will largely depend on the platform's performance, ease of use and the quality of insights it provides to users during the trial period.

Financial Analyst

While this news doesn't provide specific financial figures, it has potential implications for Braze's future revenue and growth strategies. The free trial and startup program could lead to increased customer acquisition costs (CAC) in the short term, potentially impacting profitability. However, if successful, these initiatives could significantly expand Braze's customer base and lower CAC in the long run through word-of-mouth and network effects within the startup ecosystem.

Investors should monitor key metrics in future earnings reports, such as customer acquisition rates, conversion rates from free to paid plans and changes in average revenue per user (ARPU). The success of these programs could positively impact Braze's recurring revenue and customer lifetime value (CLV) over time, potentially leading to improved financial performance and stock valuation.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Braze (Nasdaq: BRZE), the leading customer engagement platform that empowers brands to Be Absolutely Engaging™, today announced two new launches to help brands elevate their customer experiences and interactions. The Braze for Startups program, launching with its first venture capital (VC) partner, aims to support the next generation of customer-first brand leaders by providing startups with four months of free access to Braze. Additionally, Braze is launching a free trial of its customer engagement platform, giving brands of all sizes the opportunity to experience Braze firsthand with access for 14 days.

“Our goal is to make it easy for brands of all sizes to start using our platform and experience its ease of use and market-leading capabilities,” said Spencer Burke, SVP of Growth at Braze. “We’re confident that once brands start experimenting with Braze, they’ll see ROI through increased engagement and stronger customer retention. Braze for Startups benefits smaller companies, while our free trial allows teams across organizations of all sizes to test and explore Braze, helping them achieve success more easily.”

Braze for Startups Program

Braze for Startups, launching with its first VC partner, Left Lane Capital, is designed to help VC-backed startups grow their businesses with four months of free access to the Braze platform.

"Startups today face intense pressure to grow revenue quickly while managing tight budgets and proving their long-term viability to investors,” said Chris Taylor, Chief Growth Officer at Left Lane Capital. “Braze for Startups offers these companies an opportunity to launch revenue-generating campaigns at no cost, helping them validate product-market fit through deeper insights into customer behavior. By participating in this program, startups can not only nurture and monetize existing customer relationships but also invest in a scalable solution that can support their growth now, and in the future."

Key Benefits of Braze for Startups:

• Free Access for Four Months: Eligible VC-backed startups can leverage the power of Braze, including support for up to 2 million monthly active users (MAU) and 120 million emails.

• Growth Onboarding Services: Get up and running quickly with free onboarding services, a personal onboarding manager, live and on-demand learning resources, and unlimited access to the Braze Bonfire community.

• Continued Use: After the initial free period, startups can continue using Braze, providing them with the tools to build long-term customer relationships, and supporting a smooth transition as they scale for sustained success.

To learn more about signing up for Braze for Startups, please email startups@braze.com.

Braze Free Trial

The Braze Free Trial allows brands that are not current Braze customers to test the platform free of charge for 14 days. With the trial, marketers can dive into special guided walkthroughs, test pre-built campaigns and journey templates, and access the BrazeAI^TM features, seeing firsthand how they can drive meaningful engagement and business results. This trial is designed to help today’s marketers evaluate what software solutions fit their brand’s evolving needs, and provide the best experience for their customers.

Key Features of Free Trial:

• Guided Product Tours: Experience the Braze platform through interactive tours that showcase key features and capabilities.

• Industry-Specific Templates: Use pre-built campaign and journey templates to see how quickly Braze can drive results in specific industries.

• Hands-On Platform Use: Create messages on the engagement channels that matter most with no-code editors and templates, use demo data or import your own, and use BrazeAI^TM-powered tools to experiment, test, and optimize customer engagement at scale.

The Braze Free Trial is scheduled to be broadly available on Tuesday, September 24. Brands can get first access to the Free Trial on Monday, September 23, by registering for Forge Digital–sign up now and see how simple it is to create and elevate unforgettable customer experiences with Braze. To register for Forge Digital, visit; Forge 2024 Digital.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the performance of and expected benefits from Braze, its products and programs, including the Braze For Startups Program and the Braze Free Trial. These forward-looking statements are based on the current assumptions, expectations and beliefs of Braze, and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Further information on potential factors that could affect Braze results are included in Braze’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2024, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 7, 2024, and the other public filings of Braze with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the views of Braze only as of the date of this press release, and Braze assumes no obligation, and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Braze

Braze is the leading customer engagement platform that empowers brands to Be Absolutely Engaging.™ Braze allows any marketer to collect and take action on any amount of data from any source, so they can creatively engage with customers in real time, across channels from one platform. From cross-channel messaging and journey orchestration to Al-powered experimentation and optimization, Braze enables companies to build and maintain absolutely engaging relationships with their customers that foster growth and loyalty. The company has been recognized as a 2024 U.S. News Best Technology Companies to Work For, is a 2023 UK Best Workplace for Women by Great Place to Work, and was named a Leader by Gartner® in the 2023 Magic Quadrant™ for Multichannel Marketing Hubs and in The Forrester Wave™: Cross-Channel Marketing Hubs, Q1 2023. Braze is headquartered in New York with 10+ offices across North America, Europe, and APAC. Learn more at braze.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240904021096/en/

Patrick Grier

Communications Manager

press@braze.com

Source: Braze

FAQ

What is the Braze for Startups program offering?

The Braze for Startups program offers VC-backed startups four months of free access to the Braze platform, including support for up to 2 million monthly active users and 120 million emails, along with growth onboarding services.

How long is the Braze free trial period?

The Braze free trial period is 14 days, allowing brands to test the platform and its features at no charge.

When will the Braze Free Trial be available?

The Braze Free Trial is scheduled to be broadly available on Tuesday, September 24, with early access on Monday, September 23, for those who register for Forge Digital.

What features are included in the Braze Free Trial?

The Braze Free Trial includes guided product tours, industry-specific templates, hands-on platform use with no-code editors, and access to BrazeAI-powered tools for experimentation and optimization.