Former Sequoia partner’s new startup uses AI to negotiate your calendar for you

Kais Khimji, a former partner at the renowned venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, has embarked on an entrepreneurial journey with the launch of his new startup, Blockit. This innovative venture aims to streamline calendar scheduling through advanced artificial intelligence, a concept Khimji has been developing since his time at Harvard nearly a decade ago. In a significant endorsement, Sequoia Capital has led Blockit's $5 million seed funding round, reflecting confidence in its potential. Pat Grady, a general partner at Sequoia, expressed optimism in a blog post, stating, "Blockit has a chance to become a $1Bn+ revenue business, and Kais will ensure it reaches that goal." Unlike other scheduling tools, Blockit leverages the latest advancements in large language models (LLMs) to create AI agents capable of handling scheduling tasks without the need for human intervention. Khimji aims to differentiate Blockit from existing solutions like Calendly, which requires users to share links to find available times. Instead, Blockit’s AI agents will directly negotiate meeting times between users, effectively eliminating the tedious back-and-forth communication typically involved in scheduling. Khimji, alongside co-founder John Hahn—who has experience in creating calendar products like Timeful and Google Calendar—envisions Blockit as an AI-driven social network for managing time. He remarked on the disconnect that exists between individual calendars, emphasizing that Blockit solves this issue by allowing AI agents to communicate directly with one another. The process is simple: users can activate the Blockit agent via email or messaging platforms like Slack. The AI then manages the scheduling logistics, ensuring that all participants' preferences are considered. Users provide specific instructions about their scheduling priorities, enabling the system to adapt to their needs, such as skipping less critical meetings during busy days. Moreover, Blockit is designed to learn user preferences over time, even deciphering the urgency of meeting requests based on email tone. For instance, a formal closing in an email may signal a higher priority than a casual sign-off. Currently, over 200 companies, including notable names like Together.ai, Brex, and a16z, are already utilizing Blockit. The app is offered free for the first 30 days, after which it requires a subscription of $1,000 annually for individuals or $5,000 for a team license that accommodates multiple users. With its innovative approach, Blockit aims to redefine how professionals manage their time and appointments.