Martech Veterans Launch Kana With $15M to Automate Marketing Through Agentic AI

Serial entrepreneurs Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya have launched Kana, a new AI venture focused on automating marketing and media workflows. The San Francisco-based company announced a $15 million seed round led by Mayfield. Kana aims to help brands transition from basic generative AI to autonomous agents that execute specific tasks.

The investment follows a period of incubation within super{set}, the AI-native startup studio founded by Chavez and Vaidya. This capital will support hiring across engineering and product teams to expand their suite of marketing agents. The founders bring a significant track record, having previously built Rapt and Krux, which were acquired by Microsoft and Salesforce respectively.

Kana addresses the growing complexity of modern marketing stacks and the manual burden of administrative work. Its proprietary Just-In-Time Data Integration technology allows agents to connect to existing systems without expensive infrastructure overhauls. This approach enables teams to automate media planning, campaign optimization, and market research while maintaining human oversight.

Early use cases include automating RFP responses and optimizing for AI-driven search results, a process known as Answer Engine Optimization. By generating structured content, the platform ensures brands remain visible as consumers shift toward conversational interfaces. Marketers can review and approve all AI outputs before they go live to ensure brand safety.

Tom Chavez noted that many current AI tools are looking for a purpose, whereas Kana solves specific data challenges in hours. Mayfield's Navin Chadda highlighted the firm's focus on cognition as a service, viewing AI as a teammate rather than just a tool. The company positions itself as a flexible layer between massive enterprise ecosystems and simpler mid-market tools.