The company Symphony Solutions, which Valentina Synen’ka founded with her husband, has developed several IT products for different sectors. At the startup competition during the SiGMA Europe summit, Valentina presented a new product developed for iGaming. This is the BetHarmony AI assistant, which allows players to receive personalised offers from operators and bookmakers, as well as operational support.

SiGMA News caught up with Synen’ka to discuss the idea and challenges of the new product right after her presentation to the investors at the Startup Pitch jury. The conversation covered other important topics such as multinational team culture in product development, services of the future and social responsibility. Here is what Valentina had to say. 

How the idea for BetHarmony came about

The idea for this product came about a little over a year ago when the team saw a problem, a gap. We have been involved in AI development for a number of years. We managed to develop an AI product that was acquired by Optimove. The OptiX Hyper-Personalisation Engine solution appears in a new light with the ChatGPT boom.

We like to fantasise with the team. One day we thought, why not create a super chat that would help a player get what they want from the mass of online operators’ offerings.

Challenges on the way to realisation 

Next, we had to tackle its implementation. From my 15+ years of experience in software development, I know that AI development is high-cost and hard to predict. There are times when implementing seemingly complex features is very easy, and seemingly very easy features are the opposite. AI technology is like a cat in a bag – you don’t know what you’re going to get out of it. 

So, we started with a concept, and validating it with potential customers. We got feedback, and it turned out that implementing the new options was many times more difficult than we expected. 

My husband and I are the main investors. After the first phase of development, we realised that this project is much bigger than our original plan. We can’t do it on our own, and that’s how we came up with the idea of bringing in other investors. We try to be 100 per cent owners of the solutions we create, but this time we are more interested in giving this product development opportunities.

In developing the architecture, you rely entirely on your people. As in life, the hardest part is the unknown.

Choosing SiGMA for the first presentation 

First and foremost, the timing of the summit suited us. We had completed our major release, the most challenging phase. When you do something new, you don’t know what you’re going to get. When you do repetitive things, the result is expected, but the competition is higher. And we succeeded, which we are very happy about.

Application of BetHarmony in iGaming 

Our product is integrated for a specific operator. BetHarmony is not a separate application, although we considered this option. Operators can add our service to the site for the comfort of players. Instead of a huge selection, they will get a convenient chat room where they can discuss their betting query and choose the best offer. For example, if I don’t know which football match to bet on, an agent can recommend the nearest game. The recommendations apply to all types of bets and casino games. 

First of all, the product can be sold to White Label Solution platform providers for operators. The cost of the service will depend on the number of users per month, so the solution is suitable for operators of any level. 

Investment planning 

Right now we definitely see that the market has a need for this product. When there is investment, we will expand the capabilities of the platform. In particular, we plan to add voice recognition. This is important for markets like Africa and South America where, firstly, it’s in demand, and secondly, many people just don’t like to write. It’s easier for them to use voice or Social Media Integration.

We will further complicate and develop the logic of the algorithms, as well as launch products in other industries. For example, we have already launched a product In HealthCare called simply Harmony. We were also thinking of launching an assistant for selecting airlines. In any case, customers can integrate our solution into a website as a version of customer support. 

50 percent of customer support questions can easily be handed over to AI assistants. 

Service of the future

BetHarmony can carry out operations that are accessed by the customer. With access to the player’s account, the agent can show balance, transaction history, and notifications. Making secure payments using AI is already starting to gain traction, and will continue to gain momentum in 2025. AI-powered support is one of the top five leading trends in the IT industry. 

To remain a ‘people company’

We have our in-house team. The most interesting and the most difficult thing in iGaming is to gather developers who understand the industry and make them want to stay with you for years. We have a lot of developers in Ukraine, where our main office is located. Our first company provides the services on which BetHarmony was subsequently created. We also have employees in Poland, Macedonia and other countries. The most important thing is people you can trust.

People may have less technical skills, but they share the same culture and values, and that’s much more important.

The team is the most important thing you have. It’s nice to just conquer new heights by working with a team. You can’t do anything on your own. The philosophy of Symphony Solutions that we started with is ‘We are a people’s company.’ This applies to employees and customers, and it’s at the core of how our entire business works.

Customers admire people, not products.

It is worth noting that since 2022, Symphony Solutions has donated about $1 million to the country’s needs, and is also involved in the creation of bionic prostheses for the rehabilitation of war veterans.  

The new standards of customer support

Companies such as BetHarmony are setting new standards not only in the iGaming industry, but in the tech world as a whole. The use of bespoke AI-based customer support can make both the team’s workflow and the customer’s journey easier. It has a valuable impact on customer retention in any industry, from gambling to retail. Choosing SiGMA Startup Pitch as a starting point is an honour for us, and proves SiGMA’s effectiveness in attracting investment for innovative projects. 

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