In the evolving landscape of online business discovery, Gushwork, an India-based startup, is making strides in capturing customers through AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. The company is beginning to attract investor interest with its initial successes. On Thursday, Gushwork announced it had secured $9 million in a seed funding round led by Susquehanna International Group (SIG) and Lightspeed, with contributions from B Capital, Seaborne Capital, Beenext, Sparrow Capital, and 2.2 Capital. This investment values Gushwork at $33 million post-funding, a significant increase from its $7.5 million valuation after a $2.1 million pre-seed round led by Lightspeed in July 2023, according to sources familiar with the details. With this new funding, Gushwork’s total financial backing reaches $11 million.
As AI firms like OpenAI and Perplexity are beginning to transform traditional web search, even prompting giants like Google to implement AI-generated features, Gushwork sees an opportunity. The startup aims to help businesses become more visible in AI-driven discovery pathways by employing automated marketing agents. Founded in 2023 by Nayrhit Bhattacharya and Adithya Venkatesh, Gushwork initially targeted small and medium-sized enterprises by offering a blend of AI and human expertise to streamline outsourcing processes. However, the company soon shifted its focus towards search-led marketing due to rising demand for enhanced online visibility.
Gushwork's platform leverages AI agents to craft and update search-optimized content, establish backlinks through a network of 200 to 300 partner sites, and monitor inbound leads with an integrated content management system. Bhattacharya states the platform's aim is to boost business presence in both traditional and AI-generated search results without needing large in-house marketing teams.
Currently, Gushwork boasts over 300 paying clients, with approximately 95% based in the U.S., and subscription costs starting at $800 monthly. The company reports an annualized recurring revenue of $1.5 million, following the launch of its AI search-focused product three months ago, and projects reaching $3 million to $3.5 million in ARR within the next quarter. Bhattacharya notes the startup’s impressive growth rate of 50% to 80% month-over-month.
Around 20% of Gushwork’s clients' website traffic originates from AI-driven search and chat platforms, yet these channels account for roughly 40% of inbound leads. These high-intent leads are already delivering tangible business outcomes for several clients. For instance, a professional services client has reportedly secured contracts worth $200,000 to $350,000 post-adoption of Gushwork’s platform, though the client’s identity remains undisclosed. Many users are witnessing significant growth in their sales pipelines as AI-driven discovery gains traction.
Gushwork’s clientele primarily consists of high-ticket B2B service providers, industrial distributors, and contract manufacturers, especially in the U.S. The average subscription fee ranges from $800 to $900 monthly, equating to about $9,000 to $10,000 annually. As AI-driven discovery continues to evolve, tools like generative AI chatbots and AI web browsers are becoming vital in vendor and product research. In July 2025, OpenAI reported that ChatGPT received around 2.5 billion daily prompts worldwide, with 330 million from U.S. users alone. Bhattacharya believes this trend is reshaping online visibility strategies for businesses.
With the fresh funding, Gushwork plans to expand its engineering team, enhance AI model accuracy, and scale its market outreach. The company has over 800 businesses on its waitlist, which it intends to start onboarding soon. Headquartered in Delaware with an office in Bengaluru, Gushwork employs approximately 70 staff in India, alongside several contractors.