eLab 2019 alum Response, founded by Keivan Shahida ’20 and Kais Baillargeon ’20, has launched a new product designed to streamline one of the most manual processes in B2B commerce. The company, which provides real-time spending insights and procurement automation, now enables distributors to convert customer order emails directly into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)-ready orders.
The launch marks another milestone for the startup, which participated in Cornell’s eLab accelerator in 2019 and secured $4 million in seed funding in 2025. Since then, Response has continued to grow within the B2B commerce industry by addressing persistent inefficiencies in procurement and order management.
The new offering allows businesses to forward customer order emails to Response, which automatically translates the information into a clean draft order ready for approval. The process takes place entirely within a user’s inbox, eliminating the need for additional portals, software adoption, or workflow changes.
The product targets a longstanding challenge across the distribution sector. Despite decades of investment in ERP systems, more than 70% of B2B commerce transactions still begin through email, phone calls, and fax. As a result, many organizations continue to rely on employees to manually review customer communications and enter order information into internal systems.
Response developed the product after identifying a common pattern across industries: customers preferred familiar communication methods over new purchasing portals. Rather than requiring changes in customer behavior, the company built a solution that works within existing workflows, transforming email from a manual bottleneck into an automated starting point for order fulfillment.
“Response has successfully processed millions in sales volume through our platform since launching our AI procurement agent,” said Shahida. “We’ve streamlined the process of converting B2B customer orders – often received via email or phone – into purchase orders, reducing the time required from up to 45 minutes to just a few minutes.”
By automating the conversion of customer emails into ERP-ready orders, Response aims to reduce errors, accelerate turnaround times, and help distributors scale operations without adding administrative headcount. The release represents the largest product launch in the company’s history and builds on the momentum generated by its recent funding round and participation in the eLab accelerator.
Reflecting on his experience in eLab, Shahida encouraged aspiring founders to take advantage of the program.
“As for my advice: apply!” Shahida said. “eLab teaches some of the most valuable foundational lessons for starting a business – from the critical practice of talking to your users daily to launching quickly and securing your first paying customers.”
Applications for the 2026-27 eLab cohort are now open. Juniors, seniors, graduate students, and Ph.D. candidates are invited to apply. Prospective applicants can also learn more by attending an upcoming eLab information session on Friday, August 28, from 4 PM to 5 PM.