AI startup Artisan has secured $25 million in Series A funding, with plans to accelerate its vision of building AI teammates that support — not replace — human go-to-market teams. The round was led by Glade Brook Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Day One Ventures, HubSpot Ventures, Oliver Jung, Fellows Fund, and others. Founded just a year ago by 23-year-old Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, Artisan has quickly made waves in the AI sales space. Its flagship product, Ava, an AI-powered business development rep (BDR), helped the company reach $5 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and onboard hundreds of customers. Artisan plans to expand its AI team lineup with two new roles: Aaron (an inbound SDR) and Aria (a meeting assistant). Carmichael-Jack and co-founder Sam Stallings, a former IBM product manager, have navigated the highs and lows of early-stage startup life — including chaotic growth and intense public debate around Artisan’s bold “Stop Hiring Humans” marketing campaign, which sparked headlines, online buzz, and even some backlash. After raising $12 million in September 2024, Artisan’s latest funding underscores investor confidence in the growing AI sales agent market, where startups like Artisan are reshaping how companies scale sales teams with AI that augments — rather than displaces — human talent. “AI teammates should take on the repetitive grunt work so people can focus on building real relationships,” said Carmichael-Jack. “That’s what Artisan is all about.”
