Meet enso: The Next Unicorn in Agentic GTM
Growth Hacking Reimagined with AI Agents
Growth hacking has made a comeback, but this time it’s led by artificial intelligence (AI) agents, and the company behind them is enso. Their unique approach combines research and AI to identify and exploit "cracks" in platforms for growth.
The Evolution of Growth Hacking
Traditionally, growth hacking was seen as tricksy tactics employed by startups to gain traction quickly. Sean Ellis popularized the term in 2010, highlighting methods like Airbnb leveraging Craigslist and Dropbox offering free storage for referrals. However, platforms soon adapted, closing loopholes, and the term became largely a job title.
enso: A Research Lab for B2B Marketing
enso stands out from typical SaaS companies by offering a research-oriented service rather than a dashboard. They act as a lab, designing experiments, testing them on massive scales within platforms, and publishing the findings. This approach involves:
- Search and AI Answer Engine Visibility: Enhancing brand visibility in search results and answer engines.
- Outbound Sequences: Automated sequences across email, messaging, SMS, and voice tailored to platform conditions.
- Community Participation: Engaging in forums where buyers seek advice.
- Newsletters and Social Media: Optimizing content for these channels.
They term this discipline "agentic growth hacking," and its founder is even writing a book on the subject.
A Pivot for Success
enso began as an AI agent marketplace, raising a $6 million seed round led by NFX. A significant pivot followed, focusing on growth research and securing $25 million. This strategic shift is prominently featured on their "About" page, reflecting their unique business model.
Service as a Software: The Future of Marketing
Sequoia Capital’s blog post highlights the emerging trend of software selling outcomes rather than tools. Traditional software sold seats, promising increased productivity. Now, companies like enso are moving towards service-as-software, delivering measurable results through AI agents. This approach shifts the market from billions spent on software to trillions on services.
enso stands out as one of the few successfully making this transition, selling growth outcomes produced by agents and publishing the evidence.