Startup Spotlight: Sitefire turns AI search visibility into a marketing workflow
Jochen Madler and Vincent Jeltsch pivoted from home-energy software after seeing customers ask ChatGPT for buying advice; Sitefire now pairs visibility tracking with tools to act on it.
By Ryan Merket · Published
Primary source: Y Combinator
Why it matters
Sitefire is betting that marketers will need tools to act on AI-search visibility, not just measure it. The founders' pivot from energy software gives that bet a concrete customer origin, while the company's case studies remain self-presented evidence rather than proof of repeatable revenue impact.
Sitefire began with an observation made while its founders were building software for the energy market: people considering solar panels were asking ChatGPT for advice, while energy companies wanted to know why competitors appeared in those answers and they did not. Jochen Madler and Vincent Jeltsch turned that question into a new company, shifting from home energy management to tools that help brands understand and influence how AI systems describe them.…