Profound, a technology company specializing in AI search optimization, has secured $20 million in a Series A funding round led by Kleiner Perkins, with participation from NVIDIA’s venture arm and Khosla Ventures. This capital infusion aims to accelerate product development and expand go-to-market efforts. Profound’s platform empowers brands to control and measure their presence within AI-driven search and answer engines, a critical capability as AI technologies transform how users find information online. Their tools help companies optimize visibility and impact in these evolving channels, maintaining a competitive edge. The rise of AI-powered search marks a major shift from traditional keyword methods toward natural language queries and context-rich answers, posing new challenges and opportunities for brands. Profound addresses these through advanced analytics and control mechanisms tailored for AI-enhanced search environments.

The involvement of notable investors like Kleiner Perkins, NVIDIA, and Khosla Ventures underscores confidence in Profound’s vision and the strategic significance of AI in search. The $20 million funding will support scaling operations, enhancing product features, acquiring data, recruiting engineering talent, and strengthening computing infrastructure, as well as boosting market visibility in the competitive AI search landscape. Profound’s mission reflects a broader industry trend toward leveraging AI to revolutionize search and information retrieval. With AI assistants, voice queries, and direct answers becoming prevalent, businesses need to adapt marketing strategies accordingly; Profound provides tools to help brands measure and optimize their influence in AI-curated search results. As AI technologies evolve, maintaining control of digital presence in these new search environments will grow increasingly vital. Profound fills this gap, enabling brands to participate strategically in AI-driven conversations and engage customers effectively in a post-traditional search world. In summary, this funding milestone positions Profound for significant growth, supported by leading investors, and solidifies its role at the intersection of AI innovation and digital marketing strategy to help brands thrive amid changing search paradigms.