Levitate Raises $16 Million In Funding Led By Harbert Growth Partners

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What is Levitate’s main focus?

Levitate, an AI powered relationship marketing platform headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, recently secured $16 million in its latest funding round. Founded in 2017 by Jesse Lipson, a serial entrepreneur previously known for founding ShareFile (acquired by Citrix), the company focuses on enabling small and relationship based businesses (such as those in insurance, finance, real estate, and professional services) to maintain authentic client connections through AI driven tools. These include personalized email campaigns, social media content generation, SMS outreach, automated reminders, and an AI dashboard that integrates with CRM systems for targeted communication.

Levitate’s $16 million round was classified as a venture round or Series C extension in some reports. This brings Levitate’s total funding to $71 million across seven rounds. The funding reflects continued investor confidence in Levitate’s growth amid the expanding AI marketing sector, where tools for customer relationship management (CRM) and automation are increasingly adopted by small businesses seeking efficiency without large IT investments.

Levitate’s funding trajectory demonstrates steady progression from early stage investments to later stage growth capital, aligning with its expansion from a startup concept to a platform with thousands of users. Below is a summary of known rounds based on public disclosures:

Early rounds (pre 2020, potentially including seed and Series A) account for the remaining capital, though specific details are not publicly detailed. The progression shows a pattern of increasing round sizes, from $6 million in 2020 to $16 million in 2026, indicating maturing operations and investor appetite for AI driven SaaS solutions.

The latest round was led by Harbert Growth Partners, a growth equity firm focused on technology companies with proven revenue models. Repeat investor Bull City Venture Partners, based in Durham, North Carolina, has been involved since at least the Series C, providing regional support and expertise in SaaS scaling. Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, the venture arm of the financial services giant Northwestern Mutual, joined as a new participant, signaling strategic interest in AI tools that enhance client relationships in industries like insurance and wealth management, sectors where Levitate has strong adoption.

This investor mix highlights Levitate’s appeal: Harbert brings growth stage capital expertise, Bull City offers continuity and local ecosystem ties, and Northwestern Mutual adds domain specific validation. Notably, earlier rounds like the 2023 Series C drew heavy participation from individual entrepreneurs (over 75 in total), fostering a network driven approach that could aid in partnerships and referrals.

Levitate plans to allocate the capital toward accelerating its AI innovation roadmap, including enhancements to internal capabilities (e.g., smarter automation algorithms) and customer facing features (e.g., advanced content personalization and predictive analytics for outreach timing). Additionally, the funds will support expansion of customer success and sales teams to handle growing demand. This aligns with the company’s “service as software” model, which combines AI automation with human strategy to deliver measurable outcomes like improved client retention and lead generation.

In terms of metrics, Levitate reported $28.8 million in annual revenue as of 2023, with a team of around 280 employees. By 2026, customer growth to over 8,000 suggests revenue has likely increased substantially, though exact figures are not disclosed. The funding positions Levitate to invest in R&D, potentially integrating emerging AI technologies like generative models for even more nuanced content creation.

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The funding occurs in a robust market for AI enhanced marketing tools. The global AI in marketing sector is projected to grow from approximately $15 billion in 2023 to over $100 billion by 2030, driven by demand for personalized, efficient customer engagement. Levitate differentiates itself by targeting small businesses that rely on relationships rather than high volume transactions, competing with platforms like HubSpot, Constant Contact, and Keap (formerly Infusionsoft). Its AI focus on “authentic” communication, avoiding generic spam, addresses pain points in overcrowded inboxes and social feeds.

Challenges include intense competition from larger players with deeper pockets and the need to navigate data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. However, Levitate’s niche in relationship based industries provides a defensible moat, especially with integrations for tools like Outlook, Google Workspace, and industry specific CRMs.

This $16 million infusion strengthens Levitate’s position as a leader in AI driven relationship marketing, enabling faster iteration on features that could drive user adoption and retention. With total funding now at $71 million, the company appears on track for potential profitability or further scaling, possibly toward an IPO or acquisition by a larger CRM giant like Salesforce or Adobe. The involvement of strategic investors like Northwestern Mutual could open doors to enterprise partnerships, expanding beyond small businesses.

The round underscores investor optimism in AI’s role in transforming traditional marketing, positioning Levitate for sustained growth in a market ripe for innovation.

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