Gushwork, an emerging artificial intelligence startup founded in India, has secured $9 million in seed funding as it aims to help businesses increase visibility on AI-powered search platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
The funding round was led by Susquehanna International Group (SIG) and Lightspeed, with additional investments from B Capital, Seaborne Capital, Beenext, Sparrow Capital, and 2.2 Capital. The new investment values the two-year-old startup at $33 million, marking a sharp rise from its $7.5 million valuation following a $2.1 million pre-seed round in July 2023. Gushwork’s total funding now stands at $11 million.
The investment comes amid rapid changes in the digital search landscape, as AI-powered tools increasingly compete with traditional search engines. Platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity are reshaping how users find information, prompting businesses to adapt their online marketing strategies to remain visible.
Founded in 2023 by Nayrhit Bhattacharya and Adithya Venkatesh, Gushwork initially focused on helping small and medium-sized businesses automate workflows using AI. However, the company shifted its focus toward AI-driven search marketing after observing strong demand from clients seeking to improve their online discoverability.
Gushwork’s platform uses AI-powered agents to automatically generate search-optimized content, create backlinks through partner websites, and track customer leads through integrated systems. The goal is to help businesses appear not only in traditional search results but also in AI-generated answers and recommendations.
The startup currently serves more than 300 paying customers, with approximately 95% based in the United States. Subscription plans start at about $800 per month, and the company reports annual recurring revenue of around $1.5 million. Gushwork expects to grow this figure to between $3 million and $3.5 million in the coming months, driven by strong demand for AI-based marketing tools.
According to the company, about 20% of its customers’ website traffic now comes from AI-powered search platforms, but these sources account for roughly 40% of inbound business leads. In one case, a client secured contracts worth up to $350,000 after using Gushwork’s platform.
Gushwork plans to use the new funding to expand its engineering team, improve its AI technology, and accelerate market expansion. The company also revealed it has over 800 businesses on its waiting list, reflecting growing interest in AI-powered discovery solutions.
Headquartered in Delaware with operations in Bengaluru, India, Gushwork currently employs about 70 staff members and aims to position itself as a key player in the fast-growing AI search marketing sector.
