Koah, a San Francisco-based monetization platform for AI applications, has raised $20.5 million in Series A funding led by Theory Ventures. The round brings Koah’s total funding to over $26 million as it aims to become the “AdSense for AI,” enabling developers to monetize high-intent AI conversations through native, contextual advertising.
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Here’s a quick look at what’s inside:
- Who is Koah, and why does this funding matter?
- How Koah’s platform brings ads to AI chat and conversation
- What marketers and developers can do with AI-native monetization
- Key shifts in AI advertising and monetization
Who is Koah, and why does this funding matter?
Founded in 2024, Koah provides a monetization platform that allows AI app developers to embed native, context-aware advertising directly within conversational AI experiences. The company connects AI app publishers with advertisers, enabling real-time, intent-based ad placements that are designed to be relevant and non-disruptive.
The $20.5 million Series A round was led by Theory Ventures, with Tomasz Tunguz (a Google AdSense alum) joining Koah’s board. This funding follows a $5 million seed round in September 2025 and reflects growing confidence in Koah’s approach to monetizing generative AI without compromising user trust. Koah’s network now reaches over 2 million monthly active users and has delivered more than 35 million ad impressions across 350 million queries.
Patrecia Meliana
How Koah’s platform brings ads to AI chat and conversation
Koah’s lightweight SDK enables developers to integrate native advertising into AI chat and conversational interfaces in minutes. The platform serves ads from premium brands, matching them to user intent and conversation context—similar to keyword-based targeting in search, but designed for the unique dynamics of AI-driven interactions.
Key features include:
- Native, contextual ad placements: Ads are embedded directly in AI chat experiences and clearly labeled to maintain transparency.
- Real-time targeting: Advertisers can set parameters such as audience demographics and location, while Koah’s AI models generate ad copy aligned with the ongoing conversation.
- Analytics and new formats: Koah is rolling out analytics tools to track engagement and performance, as well as new ad formats like brand-sponsored polls.
Koah’s approach is already being used by AI apps such as Liner, Viro, and DeepAI, helping developers monetize user engagement without resorting to disruptive ad models or paywalls.
What marketers and developers can do with AI-native monetization
For marketers, Koah opens a new channel to reach users as they research, compare, and make decisions inside AI tools—often at moments of high intent. Advertisers can engage users through real-time conversational context, aligning their products and expertise with what people are actively exploring.
For developers, Koah offers a scalable way to generate revenue from AI apps, offsetting high inference costs and supporting continued innovation. The platform’s focus on user experience and transparency helps maintain trust while delivering performance for both sides of the marketplace.
Key shifts in AI advertising and monetization
The rise of conversational AI is changing how people discover and interact with brands. As user behavior shifts from traditional search engines and social feeds to AI chatbots, the need for monetization infrastructure tailored to these new interfaces is growing rapidly.
Koah’s growth highlights a broader trend: advertisers and developers are seeking solutions that balance revenue generation with user experience. The competitive landscape is evolving quickly, with multiple platforms racing to deliver relevant, non-intrusive monetization for the next generation of AI-driven applications.
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