6sense raises $200M in funding to help B2B brands achieve predictable revenue growth using AI and big data; now valued at $5.2 billion

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become foundational to how tech companies are building tools to help salespeople succeed. One of the pioneers in using AI to help revenue teams know everything they need to know about their buyers and boost sales and marketing experience is San Francisco-based 6sense.

After being in business for about a decade, 6sense has extensive experience in using a combination of AI, big data, and machine learning to uncover anonymous buying behavior, prioritizes accounts for sales and marketing, and enables them to engage resistant buying teams with personalized, multi-channel, multi-touch campaigns.

To further grow its platform, 6sense recently raised $200 million in a Series E funding. The round was co-led by new investors Blue Owl and MSD Partners and includes additional new investors SoftBank Vision Fund 2, B Capital Group, Franklin Templeton, and Harmony Partners.

Existing investors Insight Partners, Tiger Global, D1 Capital Partners, and Sapphire Ventures also participated in the round. The new funding, which brings 6sense’s total funding to $426 million, more than doubles 6sense valuation to $5.2 billion just ten months after its $125 million Series D round.

The company plans to use the new capital infusion to expand its account engagement platform and its predictive capabilities across a wider range of sources.

Founded in 2013 by Amanda Kahlow, Dustin Chang, Premal Shah, Shane Moriah, and Viral Bajaria, 6sense helps revenue teams know everything they need to know about their buyers so they can easily do anything needed to generate more opportunities, increase deal size, get into opportunities sooner, and compete and win more often.

In a statement, 6sense CEO Jason Zintak said, “Ten months ago we ignited the RevTech Revolution with a promise to provide the only AI-driven platform that unifies data, people, and processes to unlock predictable revenue potential. We’ve delivered on this promise and the market has spoken. Our growth continues to outpace every competitor in our category, and customers consistently rave about the exceptional results they see with 6sense.”

Zintak continued, “This investment adds fuel to our trajectory and gives us the ability to accelerate on our commitments. Our acquisition of Saleswhale is just one example of how we are transforming the way B2B organizations create, manage and convert pipeline to revenue.”

Dramatic shifts caused by the continuation of hybrid work in the B2B selling environment – with dispersed buying committees who often are anonymous – have accelerated the demand for a transformation in how sales, marketing, and customer success teams achieve predictable revenue growth.

The 6sense platform analyzes data and behaviors to uncover accounts ready to buy and recommends the best action, channel, and messages that are most likely to connect with buyers. Companies using the 6sense platform on average experience 120% improvement in revenue effectiveness.

6sense also noted that part of the funding proceeds will be used to deliver the future of email for B2B marketing and sales teams. 6sense’s acquisition of Saleswhale, an AI-driven email marketing platform, extends the native engagement channels available in the 6sense platform and builds on the company’s RevTech Revolution promise to put the power of AI, big data, and machine learning behind every member of the revenue team.

“Today’s B2B buyer demands a better, more relevant, buying experience. Those companies who provide it will win their business – today and tomorrow,” said Ian Howells, Sage VP and Head of Marketing for Sage Intacct. “6sense is our competitive advantage in this area and continues to help us accelerate our growth by pushing the boundaries of innovation and the role of AI in the marketing and sales process.”