1up, a startup founded by George Avetisov, former CEO of cybersecurity startup HYPR, has raised $5 million in funding to further develop its AI-powered knowledge automation platform for sales teams. The funding round, led by Upfront Ventures with participation from RRE Ventures, 8-Bit Capital, and individual investors, will enable 1up to scale its sales team and introduce new features to its platform.

The platform, which launched publicly in January 2024, uses AI to pull information from internal company data sources and databases, providing sales professionals with a single source of truth to answer product or technical questions, execute requests for proposal, and fill out technical questionnaires. This innovative approach has already attracted nearly 100 customers, ranging from startups to large enterprise customers such as WalkMe and Deliveroo.

What sets 1up apart from other AI startups in the sales department is its unique focus on knowledge automation. While many AI startups are building tools to generate sales leads and facilitate client outreach, 1up is laser-focused on solving a specific problem – automating knowledge for sales teams. According to Avetisov, this approach is not competing for the same budget line as other AI sales tools, but rather provides a distinct value proposition for enterprises.

1up's unorthodox marketing strategy has also contributed to its success. The company has built a massive sales meme library on LinkedIn, which has garnered millions of impressions and attracted a significant portion of its leads. "One out of three of our leads comes from a meme," Avetisov revealed. This creative approach has helped 1up stand out in a crowded market and build a strong brand identity.

The funding round was led by Upfront Ventures' general partner Kobie Fuller, who was impressed by Avetisov's mission-driven approach and in-depth understanding of the problem 1up is solving. "George, a second-time founder, saw the problem and pain point firsthand," Fuller said. "When we talk with George, he can dive in at whatever level or depth in a manner you don't see all the time with CEOs."

The AI-powered knowledge automation market is rapidly growing, with many startups building knowledge centers for enterprises. However, Avetisov believes that 1up's focused approach will enable it to succeed where others may struggle. "Knowledge management is not a budget item. It's not a hair on fire problem," Avetisov said. "Our philosophy on this is that for knowledge automation to succeed and become a billion-dollar company or industry, it needs to be laser-focused on a persona and on a department."

With its recent funding, 1up is poised to scale its sales team and introduce new features to its platform. While Avetisov was tight-lipped about the specifics of these upgrades, it's clear that 1up is committed to continuing its innovative approach to knowledge automation. As Avetisov succinctly put it, "Sales teams get a lot of shit. They have one of the hardest jobs in the company, and their tool set is horrible. But when it comes to knowledge management, they have been completely neglected. So that's our hot take. That's our laser focus."