The operating firm for the next era of automotive.
Kyzor partners with the OEMs, dealer groups, and founders rebuilding automotive retail and technology. Capital, counsel, and operating leverage from a firm that has actually run the businesses our clients lead.
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Three practices. One firm.
Practice Areas
Incubate
We build companies. Kyzor partners with operators and technologists to stand up new ventures in automotive retail, technology, and applied AI. Capital, operating muscle, distribution.
Invest
We back founders with category-defining ambition in automotive technology. Seed through Series A positions. Board-level engagement. A network most funds cannot replicate.
Advise
We counsel OEMs and dealer groups on AI, data, and change management. Independent strategy and vendor-neutral oversight for transformation inside the existing ecosystem.
Who We Serve
We work with a small number of clients each year.
The firm is engaged where the decision is consequential, the timeline is finite, and the room needs a senior operator with no vendor allegiance.
The PracticeOriginal Equipment Manufacturers
AI and data engagements for OEM leadership. How to leverage transformational technology within the existing ecosystem, without rebuilding the channel underneath it.
Dealer Groups
Change management in the age of AI. Data organization, operating cadence, and vendor rationalization for top-150 groups and family-held platforms.
Automotive Founders
Seed through Series A founders building the AI, data, and customer-experience infrastructure of the next decade. We invest, board, and open doors.
Track Record
Representative engagements.
Identifying details withheld. Outcomes documented and on file.
Dealer Group
- Situation
- Top-50 group, 28 rooftops, six DMS and CRM platforms inherited through acquisition.
- Mandate
- Vendor rationalization and unified AI and data architecture across the platform.
- Outcome
- Stack reduced to two systems. Recurring tech spend down materially. Single customer record across rooftops.
OEM
- Situation
- OEM evaluating generative AI and data initiatives across multiple business units inside the existing dealer ecosystem.
- Mandate
- Independent AI and data strategy, use-case prioritization, and vendor-neutral architecture guidance before committing capital.
- Outcome
- Written roadmap adopted. Two initiatives killed pre-spend. Remaining work shipped on the original board clock.
Founder
- Situation
- Seed-stage automotive AI company, strong product thesis, no dealer-channel motion.
- Mandate
- Investment, board partnership, and go-to-market into top-150 dealer groups.
- Outcome
- Active enterprise pipeline opened inside one quarter. Series A closed. Operating cadence installed at the founding team.
Years operating in automotive technology
Inc. 500/5000 honors at founder-led ventures
Best-selling automotive operating playbook
Vendor referral fees taken. Ever.
Todd Smith
Managing Director
Founder and CEO of QoreAI. Founder of ActivEngage, a five-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree he scaled and exited in 2018. Thirty years at the operating end of automotive technology.
Author of the #1 best-seller The Intelligent Dealership. Trusted counsel to OEM leadership and top-150 dealer groups, and an active investor in the founders building into the channel.
"The firms that win the next decade in automotive will be the ones that treat AI as an operating discipline, not a procurement event."
Todd Smith. Managing Director.Frequently Asked
How the firm works.
- What is Kyzor?
- Kyzor is an operating firm for the automotive industry. The firm runs three practices: Incubate (venture formation), Invest (seed through Series A capital), and Advise (independent counsel to OEMs and dealer groups).
- Who does Kyzor work with?
- Three audiences only. OEMs on AI and data engagements inside the existing dealer ecosystem. Top-150 and family-held dealer groups on change management in the age of AI, data organization, and vendor rationalization. Automotive founders at the seed through Series A stage.
- Who does Kyzor not work with?
- The firm does not work on OEM digital retail platforms or OEM capital partnerships. It does not do successor-stage capital structuring for dealer groups. It does not invest in Series B or growth-stage founders, and does not underwrite theses for private equity sponsors or family offices.
- How is Kyzor compensated?
- Capital is invested from the firm. Counsel is paid by the client. Kyzor takes zero vendor referral fees, reseller margin, or revenue share. Alignment is engineered, not promised.
- Who leads the firm?
- Todd Smith is Managing Director and Founder. He is also Founder and CEO of QoreAI, founder of ActivEngage (a five-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree he exited in 2018), and author of the #1 best-seller The Intelligent Dealership. Thirty years operating in automotive technology.
- How do engagements begin?
- Engagements begin with a private introduction, by referral or request. Kyzor takes on a limited number of clients each year. Contact info@kyzor.com or submit a request on the contact page.
Engagements begin with an introduction.
Kyzor takes on a limited number of clients each year. New engagements begin with a private conversation, by referral or request.
Request an Introduction