How Sergey Bunas Built Suggesty and Replai to Transform Customer Engagement

Marketing teams are under growing pressure to engage audiences more efficiently and effectively, as traditional methods of customer engagement are often too slow and resource-intensive to meet the demands of modern businesses. According to a report by Accenture, artificial intelligence could add up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, largely by automating and optimizing processes like marketing outreach. Yet, for many startups, scaling AI-driven solutions is a daunting challenge, requiring a delicate balance of innovation, strategy, and adaptability.

Sergey Bunas, founder of Suggesty and Replai, is a leader in tackling these challenges head-on. With a career that bridges corporate structure and startup agility, Sergey has successfully turned bold ideas into impactful solutions that redefine marketing engagement. His tools, Suggesty and Replai, have not only garnered industry recognition but also delivered tangible results, such as Suggesty’s recognition as Product of the Day on Product Hunt and Replai’s achievement of $12,000 in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) within its first year.

For businesses, scaling customer engagement often means grappling with inefficiencies in traditional outreach methods. Marketing teams spend countless hours crafting messages, identifying targets, and following up with leads — a process that is both time-consuming and prone to human error. Sergey’s experience managing large-scale projects at Deel and X5 Retail Group gave him a front-row seat to these challenges. It was here that he first recognized the potential of automation to transform outreach and engagement processes — an insight that would later drive the creation of Suggesty and Replai.

“Corporations taught me structure and discipline, but startups taught me to move fast,” Sergey explains. “The combination of both is what allowed me to create solutions that address real-world pain points.”

Sergey’s startups leverage AI to transform marketing outreach. Suggesty, for instance, uses advanced algorithms to help businesses refine their strategies and target customers with greater precision. By automating time-intensive processes, it enables teams to focus on creative and strategic tasks instead.

“AI can do what traditional methods can’t — target smarter, faster, and with greater precision,” Sergey says. While Suggesty’s success was amplified by Sergey’s network and ecosystem, its foundation was built long before his participation in Entrepreneur First. “The community I built at Entrepreneur First gave me the perspective and confidence to think bigger,” he adds. “But Suggesty’s success came from solving a real problem that businesses were struggling with.”

Replai, another of Sergey’s ventures, automates cold outreach using generative AI, reducing the time and effort businesses spend engaging leads. Within its first year, Replai achieved $12,000 ARR, a milestone Sergey credits to his team’s agility in responding to market feedback. “It’s not just about building a product — it’s about listening, iterating, and creating something people truly need,” he reflects.

Sergey emphasizes the importance of mentorship and peer feedback in refining his strategies. Entrepreneur First provided him with access to top-tier investors and advisors, who not only supported him but also challenged him to think bigger. “The right network doesn’t just support you — it challenges you to execute better,” Sergey explains.

The rise of AI-driven tools like Suggesty and Replai signals a transformative shift in how businesses approach customer engagement. As marketing automation continues to evolve, the industry is poised to see even greater efficiency and personalization driven by AI innovations. Sergey Bunas’ journey is a testament to the importance of combining technology with strategic ecosystems, but it also underscores a broader industry reality: the next wave of innovation will depend on collaboration, adaptability, and the ability to address real-world challenges. For startups and established players alike, the lesson is clear — success in AI is not just about building smarter tools but also about creating environments where ideas and partnerships can thrive.