Albanian-American entrepreneur Daniel Vataj is making waves in the tech world with his New York-based startup Sent, which just raised $3.55 million in seed funding at an $18.5 million valuation.

Vataj’s company is on a mission to reinvent the global messaging infrastructure. Sent offers a universal API that connects businesses with customers via SMS, WhatsApp, and iMessage—enhanced with intelligent routing, rich media, and real-time delivery tracking.

The funding round was led by Companyon Ventures, with participation from top-tier investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, Urban Innovation Fund, CP Overture, and Bulletpitch+. Notably, Bessemer also led the seed round of Twilio in 2009—making their backing of Sent a powerful full-circle moment.