Profound Raises $180M Series D at $1.8B Valuation

Profound, an AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) startup that helps brands manage their visibility in AI search results, has announced a $180 million Series D funding round, securing a $1.8 billion valuation. This milestone comes just seven months after the company successfully closed a $96 million Series C round.

Investors

The funding round was led by Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins. Additional participating investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, and South Park Commons.

Profound Use of Funds

While specific granular details regarding the deployment of capital were not disclosed in the announcement, the company is scaling rapidly, having seen revenue triple in the past six months to support its base of over 1,000 enterprise customers.

About Profound

Founded in 2024, Profound creates marketing software that assists brands in navigating Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). The platform provides analytics and strategy tools that allow businesses to understand and influence how AI-powered search systems surface their products to consumers.

Funding Details

Company Website: https://tryprofound.com

Company: Profound
Raised: $180M
Round: Series D
Funding Date: September 15, 2026
Lead Investor: Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins
Additional Investors: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, South Park Commons
Software Category: Marketing Software/AI
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/15/aeo-startup-profound-hits-unicorn-valuation-raises-180m-series-d-7-months-after-last-round/