Ex-VC Sam Blond Launches AI Startup Aimed at Disrupting Salesforce
Sam Blond, who departed from his venture capital role at Founders Fund just a year after joining, is set to reshape the sales technology landscape. The entrepreneur, formerly the head of sales at Brex, recently unveiled his new startup, Monaco, co-founded with his brother Brian Blond, an experienced sales professional turned VC.
Monaco, which emerged from stealth mode this week, also includes co-founders Abishek Viswanathan, ex-CPO at Apollo and Qualtrics, and Malay Desai, previously SVP of engineering at Clari. Backed by high-profile investors like Stripe founders Patrick and John Collison, Garry Tan of Y Combinator, and Neil Mehta from Greenoaks Capital, the startup seeks to carve out a niche in the competitive AI sales technology market.
What sets Monaco apart is its novel approach to sales tech. Rather than merely providing AI solutions to replace human roles, its model includes a human-in-the-loop system where seasoned sales experts oversee the AI’s operations. This integration allows for enhanced oversight and guidance, ensuring reliability while offering clients tailored support.
Monaco’s product suite targets early-stage seed and Series A startups and boasts an AI-driven customer relationship management (CRM) system alongside a custom prospect database. With features designed to streamline sales processes, such as automated email outreach and a meeting notetaking tool, Monaco aims to reduce the burden of repetitive tasks.
“We can replace full workflows with AI agents,” Blond explained, highlighting the platform’s ability to build prospect databases and optimize outreach strategies. Notably, the human sales professionals facilitate direct customer engagements, thereby maintaining authenticity in communications.
Currently competing primarily with Hubspot, Monaco positions itself as a more cost-effective alternative for emerging businesses compared to established giants like Salesforce. While Blond refrained from disclosing the pricing structure, he mentioned it would involve a flat fee, currently discounted during the beta phase.
Despite stepping into a crowded market with numerous sales technology startups, Blond emphasizes that many existing players lack the performance to establish a strong foothold. His ambition lies in identifying Monaco as a front-runner in this evolving domain, aiming for what he envisions as the next major shift in sales technology.
With a team of about 40 individuals, the environment at Monaco blends sales expertise with motivation, reflected in the team’s spirited atmosphere equipped with motivational visuals and fun incentives—like an office gong celebrating successful AI meetings.
In summary, Monaco is not just another AI sales tool; it aims to redefine the intersection of human expertise and artificial intelligence in sales.
