Artisan

Artisan

AI sales agents automate B2B outbound

Overview

Artisan helps large businesses boost their outbound sales by using AI agents to automate repetitive GTM tasks. Its platform centers on Ava, an AI-powered sales agent, plus a family of specialized AI agents called Artisans that can identify potential customers, craft and send outreach messages, and ensure messages avoid spam filters. The system works as a SaaS platform that enterprises hire to run outbound sales workflows, replacing manual steps and traditional software stacks with digital employees. Artisan differentiates itself by offering an all-in-one, customizable platform that consolidates GTM tools and processes, enabling a scalable, enterprise-grade outbound operation. The company’s goal is to improve outbound sales results for B2B teams by letting human sellers focus on high-value activities while AI handles the routine tasks.

YC Company

About Artisan

Simplify's Rating
Why Artisan is rated
C+
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Data & Analytics

Enterprise Software

AI & Machine Learning

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$46.9M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2023

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Thousands joined the Ava 2.0 waitlist before launch, showing strong market pull.
  • Artisan says its largest deployment runs across more than 1,000 reps.
  • The company raised $36 million and supports progressive migration for existing 2026 customers.

What critics are saying

  • LinkedIn restricted Artisan in January 2026, exposing platform dependence on third-party data rules.
  • Artisan settled with KC Green on May 31 2026 after using This is fine art.
  • Opaque pricing and waitlist-only agents Aaron and Aria signal an unfinished product surface.

What makes Artisan unique

  • Ava 2.0, launched May 25 2026, runs outbound end-to-end with approval gates.
  • Artisan bundles lead research, personalization, sequencing, replies, and meeting booking into one product.
  • Enterprise deployments at SumUp, Quora, and Informa justify its all-in-one GTM consolidation pitch.

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Funding

Total Funding

$46.9M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

6 Rounds

Notable Investors:
Series A funding typically happens when a startup has a product and some customers, and now needs funding to scale. This money is usually used to grow the team, expand marketing, and improve the product. Venture capital firms are frequently the main investors here.
Series A Funding Comparison
Above Average

Industry standards

$15M
$8.2M
Discord
$15M
Canva
$25M
Artisan
$30M
Kalshi

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Stock Options

Company News

TechCrunch
Apr 23rd, 2026
Artisan's CEO on hiring mistakes: 100+ hires to build a 40-person team

Artisan CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack shared hard-won hiring lessons on the Build Mode podcast, revealing the startup has hired over 100 people to build its current 40-person team. The AI sales automation company, known for its provocative "Stop Hiring Humans" campaign, learned crucial lessons about team building the hard way. Carmichael-Jack outlined key mistakes: overhiring too quickly, prioritising big tech logos over startup aptitude, hiring at the wrong seniority level, and being too slow to fire underperformers. He stressed that early-stage employees should have no downtime, and impressive CVs from tech giants don't guarantee startup success. The founder emphasised that hiring is strategic, not merely operational. Wrong hires reshape culture and make future recruiting harder, whilst right hires compound value quickly.

TechCrunch
Jan 7th, 2026
LinkedIn reinstates AI agent startup Artisan after two-week ban over data scraping concerns

Artisan AI, a Y Combinator graduate known for its controversial "Stop hiring humans" billboards, was banned from LinkedIn but has now been reinstated after resolving issues with the platform. The startup's LinkedIn page, employee profiles and executive posts were displaying error messages. CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack confirmed the ban to TechCrunch, explaining that LinkedIn objected to the company using LinkedIn's name on its website and alleged use of data brokers who had scraped the site without permission, violating LinkedIn's terms of service. Contrary to viral rumours, the ban was not due to its AI agents spamming users. Artisan offers Ava, an AI agent for outbound sales that finds and contacts potential customers. After working with LinkedIn for two weeks to address concerns, the company's presence on the platform has been restored.

Exame
Dec 19th, 2025
Under-30 founders raise $120M to automate sales prospecting with AI

Artisan, a startup founded by Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, 23, and Sam Stallings, 30, has raised R$120 million (US$25 million) to automate sales prospection tasks using artificial intelligence. The company attracted attention with its provocative "Stop Hiring Humans" slogan, though founders clarify the AI is designed to enhance, not replace, human salespeople. Artisan's flagship product, Ava, uses AI to automate prospection by sending personalised emails and qualifying leads, allowing sales teams to focus on strategic tasks. The company currently serves 250 clients and generates R$25 million in annual revenue. Despite the controversial marketing campaign featuring billboards in San Francisco, the founders emphasise their technology aims to empower sales professionals by handling repetitive tasks rather than eliminating jobs.

Artisan
Apr 10th, 2025
Artisan Raises $25M Series A

Artisan has raised a $25M Series A to build AI employees that replace repetitive work and consolidate the SaaS stack. Starting with outbound sales, our AI BDR Ava automates prospecting, messaging, and booking meetings.

Tech News Tube
Apr 9th, 2025
Artisan AI Startup Raises $25M

Artisan, an AI sales agent startup founded by 24-year-old Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, has raised $25 million in a Series A funding round led by Glade Brook Capital. Despite its focus on AI, the company is still hiring humans.

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