In a year defined by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, one London startup has moved at an uncommon speed. Searchable, an AI software company founded in 2025, reached $1 million in annual recurring revenue within 60 days of launch and secured a multi-million-pound seed round shortly thereafter.
The company operates in what investors and marketers are increasingly referring to as Answer Engine Optimisation, or AEO, (also called Generative Engine Optimization) a developing discipline focused on how brands are represented within AI-generated responses rather than traditional search engine results pages.
As large language models and AI-driven search systems reshape how information is discovered online, Searchable is positioning itself at the centre of a new marketing frontier.
Searchable develops analytics and optimisation software that enables organisations to monitor and improve how they appear across large language model platforms and AI search environments. Instead of tracking keyword rankings, the platform analyses how brands are referenced in AI-generated answers, summaries, and conversational outputs.
For marketing teams, this represents a significant shift. Traditional search engine optimisation has long centred on securing links and page rankings. In AI-native search experiences, however, users are often presented with synthesised answers. Brands compete not for placement on a results page, but for inclusion within the answer itself.
Searchable’s platform provides visibility metrics, comparative benchmarking, and strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening representation within AI outputs. Early users reported measurable increases in brand visibility of up to 40% across AI search tools, alongside reductions in manual monitoring and optimisation work.
The company was established in 2025 by Chris Donnelly, Arya Nagabhyru, and Sam Hogan. Donnelly is a serial entrepreneur with prior exits in marketing and healthtech. Nagabhyru and Hogan bring engineering experience from AI agent startups, contributing technical depth to the venture. The founders later acquired the premium domain searchable.com before rapidly building the initial product prototype. The core platform was developed within weeks.
In November 2025, Searchable introduced an invite-only beta version of its platform, allowing a select group of customers to begin testing its AI visibility tools. Several global brands were among the early adopters, integrating the platform into their marketing workflows to monitor and improve how they appeared across AI-generated search and conversational systems. Early user feedback indicated measurable improvements in AI search visibility and a reduction in manual optimisation processes.
By December 2025, just weeks after its beta debut began generating steady recurring revenue, Searchable returned to the market with another milestone. The company announced a £3.4 million pre-seed funding round, equivalent to roughly $4 million, marking one of the largest early-stage raises for a newly launched AI marketing software venture in London that year.
The round was led by Freestyle VC, a US-based venture capital firm, with the investment. The financing valued Searchable at approximately £40 million underscoring investor conviction that Answer Engine Optimisation could evolve into a defined and durable segment within marketing technology.
The financing was structured to accelerate product development, expand engineering and marketing teams, and support customer growth. Coverage in UK and European technology publications described the company as part of a new category emerging within marketing technology, centred on AI search visibility and answer optimisation.
Searchable’s funding round and launch were reported by UKTN, EU-Startups, Startups Magazine, Startup Magazine, and Retail Technology Innovation Hub. Much of the coverage highlighted the rise of AEO as a distinct strategic consideration for brands navigating AI-driven search.
Searchable’s rapid revenue growth and early-stage funding underscore the pace at which AI-native software companies are scaling in Europe. The company’s trajectory also reflects London’s continued prominence as a hub for AI-driven innovation.
