Humanz, an Israeli influencer marketing platform that describes itself as an “AI platform powering the creator economy,” has raised $15 million to fuel an aggressive acquisition strategy through 2026. The funding round, which includes $8 million in debt from Viola Credit and Mizrahi Bank, will support the company’s “full acquisition mode” expansion plans, CEO Liran Liberman told Business Insider in an exclusive interview.
The company has already completed two strategic acquisitions in 2025: Bambassadors, a user-generated content marketplace, and Ubiquitous, an influencer marketing agency. Liberman revealed that Humanz plans to complete three more deals in the first half of 2026, targeting either talent acquisitions (creator and brand networks) or tech acquisitions (such as payment solutions).
A particularly notable aspect of Humanz’s acquisition strategy involves generative engine optimization (GEO), a new approach to discoverability on AI chat platforms. Liberman said one reason for acquiring Ubiquitous was its prominence when prompting ChatGPT for top influencer marketing companies. “This was kind of our GEO investment,” he explained, highlighting how AI-powered search is reshaping brand discovery strategies.
Humanz has raised $32 million to date and employs approximately 170 people globally following its recent acquisitions. The company was profitable in 2025 but is prioritizing growth over profitability in 2026. Liberman indicated the company may increase its debt facility to $50 million to support additional acquisitions in 2026 and 2027.
The platform leverages AI technology across its products to address five key industry challenges: discovery and negotiation, management, measurement and optimization, creator incentives, and payments. According to the company’s pitch deck, Humanz operates on a revenue model consisting of a $1,500 monthly fee plus a 20% share of advertiser payments to influencers. The company serves major clients including Meta, TikTok, Visa, eBay, Google, Unilever, and Adidas.
In its pitch deck, Humanz emphasizes that “AI will transform the creator economy,” noting that as content creation becomes easier with AI tools, the platform is positioned to lead by creating better platforms for influencers to scale their businesses. The company also addresses the emerging challenge of AI-generated influencers, stating it’s taking “proactive steps to ensure that authenticity and transparency remain at the forefront.”
Key Quotes
In this space, there are so many niche players. Imagine a company great in influencer marketing on LinkedIn for B2B, or a tech company only doing creator payments. If I can acquire them … now we can offer more solutions.
CEO Liran Liberman explained Humanz’s acquisition strategy, emphasizing how consolidating niche players will allow the company to offer comprehensive solutions across the fragmented influencer marketing landscape.
This was kind of our GEO investment.
Liberman described the Ubiquitous acquisition as a strategic move into generative engine optimization (GEO), highlighting that the company’s prominence in ChatGPT results was a key factor in the deal—demonstrating how AI chatbots are becoming critical for brand discoverability.
We are close to the point where it’s impossible to distinguish between a human and AI video creation. Humanz is taking proactive steps to ensure that authenticity and transparency remain at the forefront of our platform.
From the company’s pitch deck, this statement addresses the emerging challenge of AI-generated influencers and content, positioning Humanz as committed to maintaining trust and integrity as AI blurs the lines between human and synthetic content creators.
Our Take
Humanz’s strategic focus on generative engine optimization represents a watershed moment for digital marketing. As AI chatbots increasingly mediate information discovery, traditional SEO strategies become insufficient. The fact that ChatGPT prominence influenced a multimillion-dollar acquisition decision demonstrates how rapidly AI is restructuring business fundamentals.
The company’s positioning as an “AI platform” while simultaneously addressing AI-generated influencers reveals the dual nature of AI’s impact: it’s both an enabling technology and a disruptive force creating new challenges. The creator economy faces a paradox where AI democratizes content creation while potentially undermining authenticity—the very currency influencers trade on.
Humanz’s aggressive consolidation strategy suggests the influencer marketing industry is maturing rapidly, with AI-powered platforms becoming essential infrastructure. Companies that can’t offer comprehensive, AI-enhanced solutions across discovery, management, measurement, and payments will likely be acquired or marginalized.
Why This Matters
This story represents a significant development in how AI is reshaping the influencer marketing industry, valued at an estimated $250 billion. Humanz’s focus on generative engine optimization (GEO) signals a fundamental shift in digital marketing strategy, as brands must now optimize for AI chatbots like ChatGPT rather than just traditional search engines. This evolution could dramatically change how companies approach online visibility and brand discovery.
The company’s emphasis on AI-powered tools to streamline creator-brand relationships addresses critical inefficiencies in the fragmented influencer marketing space. As AI makes content creation increasingly accessible, platforms that can effectively manage, measure, and optimize creator partnerships will become essential infrastructure for the digital economy.
Moreover, Humanz’s acknowledgment of AI-generated influencers and the challenge of distinguishing human from AI-created content highlights emerging ethical and transparency concerns that will shape the industry’s future. The company’s aggressive M&A strategy suggests consolidation is coming to the creator economy, with AI-powered platforms positioned to dominate by offering comprehensive, integrated solutions across the entire influencer marketing value chain.