Searchable Raises $14M to Boost AI Search Visibility

Jan de Vries · 2026-05-21

Searchable, a London-based AI performance marketing platform that helps businesses compete in AI-driven search, has raised $14 million in funding at an $85 million valuation. The round was led by global venture capital firm Headline. With this fresh capital, Searchable plans to accelerate product development across its execution engine and expand its presence in both the US and UK markets. Last December, the company raised $4 million in pre-Seed funding at a $40 million valuation. ### A Once-in-a-Generation Reset for Search Chris Donnelly, founder of Searchable, put it bluntly: "Search is going through a once-in-a-generation reset." He explained that when an AI assistant recommends your brand, customers arrive with more intent, more trust, and a shorter path to purchase. Based on their own data, customers are converting at three times higher when they arrive from ChatGPT and other large language models. "If you aren't visible in those answers, you're giving ground to competitors every day," he added. Founded in 2025 by British serial entrepreneur Chris Donnelly, Searchable helps marketing teams master the agentic web. The company is a new AI performance platform that helps brands understand, track, and improve how they appear across AI-led search. It acts as a growth command center, tracking visibility on 10 AI engines, surfacing insights through interactive agents, connecting analytics from Google Analytics and Search Console, and turning data into actions that drive traffic growth. ### The Shift Toward AI-Driven Discovery The company notes that AI-enabled search is expected to achieve around 70% market penetration by 2027, with 65% of searches currently concluding without a click. Additionally, nearly half of Google searches now feature AI-generated overviews, transforming how consumers find products and services. This is a massive shift that brands can't afford to ignore. Dominic R. Wilhelm, Partner at Headline, said, "AI-driven discovery is rewriting how customers find products, and the economics are moving fast. As more searches are answered directly by AI, brands that are invisible in this layer of search will simply see less demand. The companies that adapt first will protect and grow market share; those that don't will lose it quietly." Wilhelm added, "We backed Semrush early as the category leader and exited following its IPO at around a $2 billion market cap. Now, we see a new generation of businesses coming up, and Searchable is primed to win this market, which is why we are ecstatic to lead the current round." ### What Searchable Offers Brands Searchable works with major brands including American Express, KPMG, Siemens, Tencent, Pfizer, Boston Consulting Group, DigitalOcean, VaynerMedia, and Havas. It highlighted that, on average, enterprise-scale customers report a 22% increase in AI-driven traffic within their first 60 days of using the platform. Since its launch in January, Searchable reached $2 million in annual recurring revenue within just four and a half months, and now has an annual recurring revenue of $2.2 million. That's impressive growth for such a young company. ### Three Structural Shifts on the Horizon Over the next 12 to 24 months, the company expects three structural shifts: - The automation of repetitive manual SEO labor through agentic systems - The rise of AI commerce as a standalone optimization layer - The convergence of paid and organic AI visibility into unified attribution models These shifts will change how brands think about search marketing entirely. It's not just about tweaking keywords anymore; it's about being present in AI-generated answers that customers trust. Wilhelm summed it up well: "We see Searchable becoming part of the core infrastructure for this shift, not just reporting on what AI engines say about a brand, but directly improving the visibility and revenue outcomes that matter to management teams and boards." For brands looking to stay ahead in this new search landscape, platforms like Searchable are becoming essential tools. The old rules of SEO are being rewritten, and those who adapt will thrive.