Science On Call

# Science On Call: High-Level Overview

Science On Call is a 24/7 subscription-based tech support platform designed specifically for restaurants.[2] Founded in 2020, the company provides intelligent automation and human expertise to resolve restaurant technology issues—from point-of-sale systems and internet connectivity to online ordering platforms and email management.[2][4] The platform combines AI-powered automation with experienced IT agents who have backgrounds in hospitality, enabling restaurants to offload their day-to-day tech challenges and focus on operations.[5]

The company serves a fragmented market of approximately 850,000 U.S. restaurants, currently supporting over 1,000 locations nationwide.[5][7] Science On Call generates approximately $2 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and operates at roughly 70% gross margins, with expectations to reach 85% as automation scales.[7] The startup is backed by accelerator programs including Techstars Farm to Fork (2021) and Food Foundry (2020), and has raised funding from investors including Phoenix Investment Club, Redstick Ventures, and Connetic Ventures.[3]

# Origin Story

Science On Call emerged from the founders' deep experience in hospitality and technology. Andy Freivogel, the CEO and co-founder, spent over 30 years in restaurants and technology, starting as a fry cook before roles in specialty coffee and eventually serving as Director of IT for Intelligentsia Coffee.[5] Luisa Castellanos, the COO, brings over 10 years of experience in marketing, retail, and customer experience, having started her first business at age 11.[5] Ken Tsang, the CTO, contributed 20+ years in technology and operations management, including leadership roles in IT and marketing for specialty grocery and restaurant groups.[5]

The founding insight was straightforward: restaurants lack reliable, responsive tech support tailored to their unique operational needs. Rather than forcing restaurant operators to navigate vendor support lines or hire dedicated IT staff, the founders created a subscription model that provides immediate, knowledgeable assistance via text, email, or phone—accessible to anyone from executives to bar staff.[4][5] This approach resonated quickly; the company grew from inception to serving approximately 900 restaurant locations within five years.[7]

# Core Differentiators

• Hospitality-first expertise: Unlike generic IT support firms, the team understands restaurant operations intimately, enabling faster diagnosis and resolution of problems in context.[5]

• Immediate accessibility: Restaurants can reach support via text, email, or phone without login requirements, with average resolution time of 25 minutes.[4] Support is available 24/7, including nights and weekends.[2]

• Broad platform coverage: Science On Call supports nearly all major restaurant technology tools—POS systems, kitchen display systems, loyalty programs, scheduling software, online ordering platforms, and internet infrastructure.[4]

• AI-augmented operations: The company's proprietary SOC conversation-AI system automates routine issues (kitchen closures, printer troubleshooting, internet problems) using Zendesk API integration, reducing manual intervention while maintaining human escalation when needed.[1] The team reports solving 90% of problems internally.[4]

• Expanding product scope: Beyond reactive support, Science On Call recently launched workforce management capabilities, allowing employees to query company knowledge bases about policies, dress codes, and benefits via text.[7]

# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Science On Call operates at the intersection of two significant trends: AI-driven customer support automation and vertical SaaS for hospitality. The restaurant technology stack has become increasingly complex—modern establishments juggle dozens of interconnected systems—yet most lack dedicated IT resources. This creates a market opportunity for specialized, AI-enhanced support platforms.

The timing is particularly favorable. Rising labor costs and staffing challenges make outsourced tech support more attractive than hiring in-house IT personnel. Simultaneously, advances in conversational AI enable platforms to handle routine troubleshooting autonomously, reducing support costs while improving response times. Science On Call's model—combining AI automation with human expertise—addresses both efficiency and the irreducible need for contextual problem-solving in hospitality.

The company also benefits from broader adoption of cloud-based restaurant management tools and the industry's digital transformation acceleration post-pandemic. As restaurants become more technology-dependent, reliable support becomes a competitive necessity rather than a luxury.

# Quick Take & Future Outlook

Science On Call is well-positioned to capture significant market share in restaurant tech support. With gross margins approaching 85% and a subscription model that scales efficiently, the company has strong unit economics. The recent expansion into workforce management signals ambitions beyond reactive support—positioning the platform as a broader operational tool for restaurants.

Key growth vectors include geographic expansion (the platform is already multilingual), deepening penetration in existing markets, and expanding the product suite beyond support into proactive operational management. The founders' credibility in hospitality, combined with demonstrated traction in a fragmented market, suggests the company could become the default tech support standard for mid-to-large restaurant groups.

The broader implication: as restaurant technology stacks become more complex and labor-intensive to manage, specialized support platforms may become as essential as POS systems themselves. Science On Call is betting that restaurants will increasingly outsource this function to experts, much as they outsourced payroll and accounting decades ago.