A startup taking on the AI search black box

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

As a marketer, Oliver Pechter saw that audience attention was shifting to a new channel: AI search. He became curious about how to solve the “black box” of tracking and improving brand mentions on ChatGPT and other AI models.

This curiosity led to the creation of HeyAmos, a platform designed to help brands navigate this new landscape.

😟 Problem

Customers are increasingly using AI search tools to discover products and make buying decisions. According to G2, 50% of B2B buyers now start their research in AI search instead of Google. This shift is already causing a drop in website traffic for many brands.

Marketing leaders understand the need to adapt, but often view AI search as an opaque system. They lack the tools and guidance to effectively manage their brand’s presence on these new platforms.

💡 Solution

HeyAmos provides a platform for companies to manage their visibility on generative AI models. It aims to demystify AI search for marketers. The solution allows users to:

• Track all relevant prompts for their industry across major AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
• Understand why their brand is or is not being recommended with clear insights.
• Receive a playbook of actionable recommendations to improve visibility and track the results of their efforts.

Image credit: HeyAmos

📊 Market size

The market for generative engine optimization is projected to reach over US$100 billion globally by 2031. Gartner predicts that AI search will overtake traditional search by 2028. Brands that act now have an opportunity to gain an advantage before the market becomes saturated.

HeyAmos targets mid-market to enterprise companies, with an initial focus on the APAC region. The startup estimates this represents a multi-million-dollar annual recurring revenue opportunity in APAC alone.

🤝 Team

• Nitya Chidambaram. CEO, co-founder. Previously head of global operations at ShopBack and program manager at Amazon.
• Oliver Pechter. CMO, co-founder. Previously CMO at Capcito and marketing director at Boost.ai.
• Ruban Nanthagopal. CTO, co-founder. A three-time founder, previously co-founder and CTO at Alakazaam.

🚀 Traction

• The platform has been stress-tested by over 15 partners in two months.
• HeyAmos has a confirmed onboarding pipeline of more than 30 brands.
• The company has already partnered with two marketing agencies to extend its reach.

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials