Gushwork, an India-founded AI marketing startup focused on AI-powered search discovery, has raised $9 million in a Seed round led by Susquehanna International Group (SIG) and Lightspeed, with participation from B Capital, Seaborne Capital, Beenext, Sparrow Capital, and 2.2 Capital.
The round values the company at $33 million post-money and brings its total funding to $11 million. The capital will be used to expand engineering capabilities, enhance model accuracy, and scale go-to-market efforts as businesses increasingly seek visibility across AI-native discovery platforms.
What The Company Does
Founded in 2023 by Nayrhit Bhattacharya and Adithya Venkatesh, Gushwork develops AI agents designed to help companies generate customer leads through AI-driven search platforms such as conversational AI tools and emerging AI browsers. The platform automates key marketing workflows, including search-optimised content generation, backlink building, and inbound lead tracking through an integrated content management system.
Its agent network continuously creates and updates content aligned with both traditional search engines and AI-generated answer systems, aiming to improve business discoverability without requiring large in-house marketing teams. The system also manages backlink development through a partner network and tracks lead attribution across digital channels.
Initially launched as a broader outsourcing platform combining AI and human expertise, the company refined its focus toward search-led marketing after observing increasing customer demand for improved online visibility in AI-driven environments.
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Market Context / Industry Background
The rise of generative AI search interfaces and conversational discovery tools is beginning to reshape how businesses are found online. As platforms powered by large language models gain adoption, traditional search dynamics are evolving, with AI-generated summaries and conversational queries influencing buyer decision-making.
This shift is prompting companies to rethink digital marketing strategies, particularly as AI-native channels begin to complement or, in some cases, compete with conventional search engines. Businesses are increasingly seeking tools that optimise their presence not only in search rankings but also in AI-generated responses and recommendation layers.
The trend is still in an early adoption phase, but usage of AI assistants for research and vendor discovery is growing, creating a new category of “AI search optimisation” focused on visibility across both chat-based and traditional discovery environments.
Founder / Investor Commentary
Co-founder Nayrhit Bhattacharya noted that the company originally focused on improving outsourcing efficiency but pivoted toward search-driven marketing as customer demand around AI-led discovery became more pronounced. He stated that the platform is designed to help businesses surface in both conventional search results and AI-generated answers through automated marketing workflows.
According to internal company data cited by Bhattacharya, AI-driven search and chat platforms currently account for a growing share of website traffic across its customer base, while contributing a disproportionately higher percentage of inbound leads, suggesting stronger purchase intent among users discovering businesses through AI interfaces.
Investors highlighted the structural shift in online discovery, viewing AI-powered search as an emerging channel that could significantly influence how businesses generate demand and capture high-intent customers.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
The newly raised funding will be used to expand Gushwork’s engineering team, improve the accuracy and performance of its AI models, and scale customer acquisition initiatives. The company also plans to onboard a growing waitlist of more than 800 businesses as it continues to refine its AI search-focused product.
Currently, Gushwork reports more than 300 paying customers, with the majority based in the United States, and subscription pricing typically ranging from $800 to $900 per month. The startup is focusing primarily on high-value B2B segments, including professional services providers, industrial distributors, and contract manufacturers.
With approximately 70 employees in India and headquarters in Delaware alongside an office in Bengaluru, the company is positioning itself to capitalise on the early shift toward AI-native discovery channels and the increasing role of automated agents in marketing and lead generation.
About Gushwork
Gushwork is an AI marketing technology company developing agent-based platforms for AI-driven search discovery and lead generation. Founded in 2023. Headquartered in Delaware with operations in Bengaluru. The company’s mission is to help businesses capture high-intent customers by optimising their visibility across both traditional search engines and emerging AI-powered discovery platforms.
