Aaru, a new enterprise supplying nearly instantaneous customer insights through AI that mimics user behavior, has secured a Series A funding round spearheaded by Redpoint Ventures, as per three individuals knowledgeable about the transaction.

Those familiar with the investment round indicated that it consisted of various valuation levels. While some equity was obtained at a $1 billion valuation, a more modest valuation for other participants led to an average valuation below that threshold. Multi-tier valuations in a single round are a rare practice in venture capital, but investors note they are becoming more frequent for sought-after AI firms in the current landscape. This strategy permits the company to announce a larger “headline” valuation while also extending more favorable terms to select investors.

Aaru and Redpoint Ventures did not reply to a request for comment.

The precise amount of the funding round remains undisclosed, but one source indicated that it exceeds $50 million. Another source mentioned that while the startup is rapidly expanding, its annual recurring revenue (ARR) is still under $10 million.

Aaru was established in March 2024 by Cameron Fink, Ned Koh, and John Kessler, according to their LinkedIn profiles.

The enterprise’s predictive model creates thousands of AI agents that replicate human behavior utilizing both public and proprietary datasets. Aaru supplants conventional market research techniques, which typically involve surveys and focus groups, by employing agents to forecast how demographics or geographical groups will react to upcoming events.  

The company’s clientele includes partners like Accenture, EY, Interpublic Group, and various political campaigns. Aaru AI’s polling techniques accurately forecasted the result of the New York Democratic primary last year, as reported by Semafor.

Aaru faces competition from other social simulation firms like CulturePulse and Simile, in addition to startups that leverage AI to survey individuals about their product preferences, such as Listen Labs, Keplar, and Outset.

The startup garnered an undisclosed sum of seed and pre-seed investment from backers like A*, Abstract Ventures, General Catalyst, Accenture Ventures, and Z Fellows, according to sources familiar with the matter and PitchBook data.