AI sales coaching startup Othello raises $6.85M seed
What's the deal? OthelloDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised $6.85 million in a seed round to bring AI coaching into live sales calls. Founded in 2025 by Jared Zelman, the company drew 35 investors, according to an SEC filing.
What's the endgame? Othello listens during a call and surfaces guidance on the spot. It can suggest a response, flag a buying signal, and draft follow-up tasks so reps stay focused on the conversation.
Why now? Most sales coaching arrives too late — in a review long after the deal is won or lost. Real-time guidance closes that gap, and for lean teams without a dedicated trainer, it hands part of the ramp-up load to software.
Why it stands out: The round lands in the top 4% of all-time US marketing seed rounds, per a sample of 6,172 deals. Thirty-five investors backing a company barely a year old points to strong appetite for tools that lift sales performance now.
The signal: Live AI guidance is moving from note-taking after the fact to real-time prompts mid-call — a shift that could spread to support, hiring interviews, and onboarding. As it grows, buyers will press on what gets recorded and how it is used.
Read more: under30ceo.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
