How AI sales startup Landbase nabbed Ashton Kutcher’s Sound Ventures to lead its $30M Series A

In an intriguing twist of fate, Daniel Saks, co-founder of Landbase, recalls a remarkable interaction from his past that shaped his entrepreneurial journey. While serving as co-CEO at AppDirect, he received a LinkedIn message from none other than billionaire Michael Dell, known for his habit of reaching out to founders of startups he finds compelling. Initially skeptical, Saks humorously prepared for the call, thinking it could not possibly be real. To his surprise, it was indeed Dell, a moment that underscored a critical lesson for Saks: recognition breeds response. After departing AppDirect, a company specializing in enterprise software billing solutions, Saks established Landbase, which he describes as utilizing "vibe GTM" — a strategy that leverages AI to streamline outreach marketing. Recently, the startup announced a significant $30 million Series A funding round, co-led by Sound Ventures and existing investor Picus Capital, alongside participation from notable backers like 8VC, A*, and Firstminute Capital. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o model, Landbase's technology is enhanced with insights derived from approximately 40 million marketing campaigns, utilizing reinforcement learning with human intervention. This extensive dataset was gathered through partnerships with various marketing agencies. Interestingly, research revealed that more than half of these campaigns faltered, often due to a fundamental lack of trust in the sender rather than the message itself. This finding echoed Saks' earlier lesson from Dell: if recipients don’t recognize the sender, they’re less likely to engage. Saks emphasized the challenges faced by first-time founders attempting outbound campaigns, particularly when operating under the radar. To counter this, he advocates for building a recognizable presence through targeted marketing strategies rather than broad, unfocused efforts. Previously, such initiatives demanded significant budgets, but automation now allows firms to execute campaigns quickly and affordably. Applying his own guidance, Saks bolstered Landbase's credibility by creating content for platforms like YouTube and enhancing his personal website. This proactive approach led to an impressive growth trajectory, skyrocketing Landbase's customer base from 10 to over 100 within a year. The success of this Series A funding validates Saks' vision and attracted key investor Sound Ventures, known for its backing of companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. Landbase's journey began with a $12.5 million seed round in September, aided by familiar faces from Saks' AppDirect days. The founding team, which includes CPO Emily Zhang and Chief Data Scientist Hua Gao, impressed venture capitalists and generated considerable interest, leading to an influx of inquiries from around 130 VCs post-Series A announcement. Saks strategically arranged meetings with top-tier investors across major cities, culminating in a pivotal session with Sound Ventures' Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary, where a simple tagline shift clinched the deal. Despite the substantial funding, Landbase faces a competitive landscape populated by established players like Salesforce and Microsoft, as well as newer companies such as Regie.ai and ZoomInfo. Saks distinguishes Landbase by emphasizing its role as a supportive tool rather than a human replacement, avoiding anthropomorphism in its technology. The startup aims to cater to a diverse range of small and medium-sized businesses, expanding beyond the tech startup realm to include sectors like insurance and managed services. Landbase operates on a freemium model, offering a free tier that allows basic automation while subscription plans unlock more extensive features, starting at around $3,000 per month.