Profound Raises $35M Series B to Optimize Brand Visibility in the AI-Powered Search Era
The Profound AI Marketing Platform has secured $35 million in Series B funding, a major boost for the company pioneering brand visibility in the rapidly emerging AI search ecosystem. The funding round was led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from notable investors including Kleiner Perkins and Khosla Ventures. This latest investment brings Profound’s total funding to $58.5 million, cementing its position as a leader in AI-driven marketing analytics.
Sequoia Leads $35M Round in Profound, Joining Kleiner Perkins and Khosla Ventures
Sequoia Capital’s decision to lead the round underscores the growing importance of AI marketing tools in the post-SEO landscape. According to industry sources, Profound’s platform has seen exponential growth in adoption as brands rush to secure visibility in AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
How Profound Helps Brands Monitor Their Mentions Across AI Models like ChatGPT and Gemini
The Profound AI Marketing Platform enables companies to track brand mentions, analyze sentiment, and assess visibility across a wide range of AI assistants and large language models (LLMs). Traditional search engine optimization is no longer enough; AI chatbots are increasingly becoming primary sources of information for users, meaning brands need to adapt their visibility strategies.
Profound offers detailed analytics that reveal where and how a brand appears within AI-generated responses, helping marketing teams refine their messaging and maintain consistent presence.
Profound’s Platform Used Daily by 2,000 Marketers Across 500+ Companies
Currently, 2,000+ marketers from over 500 companies use the platform daily. Clients span industries from consumer electronics and fashion to SaaS and automotive, with brands leveraging Profound to measure impact across multiple AI ecosystems.
The company reports that its customers have been able to increase AI search visibility by up to 70% within the first quarter of adopting the platform.
From SEO to AI Search: Profound Called the First in Post-SEO Visibility Analytics
Profound positions itself as the first analytics company built for the post-SEO era, where search is no longer dominated by the “10 blue links” of Google but by conversational answers from AI models. The platform bridges the gap between traditional search analytics and the new frontier of AI-driven information delivery.
Why Profound’s Team Called the AI Search Shift a “Game of Thrones Power Move”
Profound’s leadership believes the rise of AI search is a seismic power shift in the marketing world. CEO Alex Torres described it as a “Game of Thrones” moment-a complete reshuffling of who controls user attention. Instead of competing for keyword rankings, brands must now ensure their products and narratives are included in the knowledge bases and training data of AI models.
Profound’s Tech Stack Explained: GPT-5, o3 Reasoning, and Cross-Model Brand Tracking
Under the hood, the Profound AI Marketing Platform uses a mix of cutting-edge technologies including GPT-5, o3 reasoning models, and proprietary crawlers that interact directly with AI assistants. This allows the platform to simulate real-world user queries and gather actionable insights about brand placement and competitive positioning.
Profound’s Mission: Brands Need Visibility in Bots, Not Just Google Blue Links
In the company’s view, marketing teams that ignore AI search risk becoming invisible to the next generation of digital consumers. Profound’s mission is clear: ensure brands remain relevant in a world where bots and AI assistants shape user decisions more than traditional search results.
Profound’s Total Funding Now Reaches $58.5M – What’s Next After Series B?
With fresh capital, Profound plans to expand its engineering team, deepen AI integrations, and scale internationally. The company is also working on predictive analytics features that will forecast brand visibility trends across different AI ecosystems.
What Profound’s Funding Means for the Future of Digital Marketing & Brand Control
The Series B funding validates a fundamental shift in marketing strategy for the coming decade. Just as SEO was the must-have tool in the 2000s, AI visibility analytics is emerging as the next essential capability. Profound’s early leadership in this space positions it well to dominate as AI search becomes the norm.
Conclusion:
The $35 million Series B round marks a turning point for Profound. By focusing on AI-driven brand visibility, the Profound AI Marketing Platform is redefining how companies approach digital presence. In the age of AI search, this might be the tool that determines which brands thrive and which disappear from the conversation.
About Company- Profound
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| How Company Started | Profound was founded in 2019 by AI and marketing technology experts with the goal of transforming brand-consumer engagement through AI-driven personalization. |
| Present Condition | Operates as a leading AI marketing startup, serving global brands across e-commerce, retail, and media. Recently secured $35M Series B funding to scale operations. |
| Future of Company & Industry | Positioned for strong growth as AI marketing adoption accelerates. Industry projected to surpass $107B by 2030, with Profound aiming to be a top-tier global player. |
| Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs | Growing demand for AI tools in marketing creates openings in niche AI applications, SaaS integrations, and data analytics solutions. |
| Market Share | Currently a niche but rapidly expanding player in the AI marketing segment; strong presence in North America and entering Asia-Pacific markets. |
| MOAT (Competitive Advantage) | Proprietary AI algorithms for real-time personalization, strong data integration capabilities, and partnerships with global enterprise clients. |
| Revenue Model | SaaS-based subscription model, enterprise licensing, and performance-based revenue from marketing ROI improvements for clients. |
