Profound has raised $180 million in Series D funding at a $1.8 billion valuation, the company announced on September 15, 2026. The round came less than seven months after the startup announced a $96 million Series C.
Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins co-led the financing. Existing investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Saga Ventures, Evantic and South Park Commons also participated.
Profound began as an analytics platform for understanding how consumers discover brands through AI-powered search and conversational systems. It has since expanded into software that helps marketing teams research, plan and execute strategies for appearing in AI-generated answers.
The company said its revenue has tripled over the past six months and that it now serves more than 1,000 enterprise customers. Those customers include Comcast, Estée Lauder Companies and Walmart, according to the company.
The round places Profound among the best-funded startups focused on generative-engine optimization and answer-engine optimization. The category is emerging as companies seek ways to measure brand visibility in systems that increasingly influence product research and purchasing decisions. Profound said the new capital will support additional product development and research into AI-driven marketing.
