Gushwork bets on AI search for customer leads — and early results are emerging | TechCrunch

TechCrunch

by Jagmeet Singh

February 26, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Gushwork, an AI-powered search startup founded in 2023, has raised $9 million in a seed round led by Susquehanna International Group (SIG) and Lightspeed, bringing its total funding to $11 million. The company focuses on helping businesses capture customer leads through AI-driven discovery platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. By leveraging automated marketing agents, Gushwork generates search-optimized content, builds backlinks, and tracks inbound leads, enabling businesses to improve their online visibility without large in-house marketing teams. The startup’s platform has gained traction with over 300 paying customers, primarily high-ticket B2B service providers, industrial distributors, and contract manufacturers in the U.S. Subscriptions start at $800 per month, with an average annual contract value of $9,000 to $10,000. Gushwork has achieved significant growth, reaching $1.5 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and targeting $3 million to $3.5 million ARR within the next three months. The company is growing at a rate of 50-80% month over month. Gushwork’s success highlights the growing shift toward AI-driven discovery, where tools like generative AI chatbots and AI web browsers are increasingly used by buyers to research vendors and products. This trend has already begun to impact traditional search engines like Google, which are integrating AI-generated features into their services. Gushwork is capitalizing on this shift by offering a solution that allows businesses to surface in both traditional and AI-driven search results. The startup’s approach is particularly relevant for small and medium businesses looking to compete in an increasingly AI-powered landscape. By automating marketing tasks, Gushwork enables businesses to optimize their online presence without the need for large marketing teams. The company’s ability to generate high-intent leads through AI-driven platforms has

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Originally published on TechCrunch on 2/26/2026