how ai pr startup clipbook won mark cuban’s investment from a cold email 

Clipbook Secures $3 Million Seed Funding Led by Mark Cuban

Clipbook, an AI-driven platform specializing in media coverage monitoring, recently announced the successful completion of a $3 million seed round. The investment was co-led by prominent figures including Mark Cuban, Commonweal Ventures, and Carpenter Capital.

The Unconventional Path to Investment

The funding materialized through an unexpected channel: a cold email initiated by Clipbook’s founder, Adam Joseph. He recounts that he initially doubted anyone would even read the message, as reported by TechCrunch.

Joseph initially launched Clipbook in 2023 and achieved $1 million in annual recurring revenue through self-funding. Approximately a year ago, he determined the time was right to seek external investment.

Targeting Key Media Investors

“I compiled a list of the five foremost investors in the media landscape,” Joseph explained. His platform leverages AI to track public perception of companies and their competitors across various media formats. Therefore, he sought investors with a deep understanding of this domain.

Mark Cuban, a multifaceted entrepreneur with experience in media networks, television, and book publishing, topped Joseph’s list.

In late 2024, Joseph, bolstered by a bit of courage, sent a concise, one-page investment proposal via email to each individual on his list, without any prior introductions.

Cuban's Response and Due Diligence

Remarkably, Cuban was the sole recipient to respond. Despite a heavy influx of pitches, Cuban consistently reviews his emails, actively seeking promising investment opportunities. He stated to TechCrunch that numerous email-originated investments have yielded substantial returns, even achieving unicorn status.

However, before committing capital, Cuban subjected Joseph to a rigorous evaluation process. Joseph described the initial email response as a barrage of challenging questions.

Cuban acknowledged his reputation for this assertive approach, honed through his experience on “Shark Tank.”

“Typically, entrepreneurs falter under intense questioning, either becoming discouraged or defensive,” Cuban elaborated. “But Adam responded with a rapid-fire series of well-considered answers.”

A Product Demonstration for CostPlus Drugs

Satisfied with Joseph’s responses, Cuban requested a demonstration of the platform’s capabilities. He tasked Joseph with generating a report for Cuban’s own venture, CostPlus Drugs – an online pharmacy and public benefit corporation founded in 2022, focused on affordable drug pricing.

“I am acutely aware of the time and effort required for PR and marketing research, competitor analysis, and gauging public sentiment towards our company,” Cuban explained.

Competitive Landscape and Clipbook's Differentiation

While Clipbook operates within a competitive market, with established players like Sprinklr, Sprout Social, Emplify, and Hootsuite, Joseph asserts a key differentiator.

Clipbook was designed from its inception to be AI-native. This means the platform goes beyond simple keyword scanning, understanding the contextual nuances of language. It can distinguish between references to “cost” and “drugs” versus specific mentions of CostPlus Drugs, and differentiate individuals sharing the same name.

This native AI architecture also enables superior search capabilities, particularly within audio and video content like podcasts, Joseph contends. His experience in PR for Boston Consulting Group provided firsthand insight into the challenges of media sentiment analysis.

Impressing Cuban with Report Accuracy

Joseph swiftly delivered a report for Cuban that accurately identified relevant mentions. Cuban was particularly impressed by the discovery of a previously unknown podcast discussion concerning pharmacy benefit services.

Following a few days of negotiation, Cuban issued a term sheet. The initial portion of the seed round closed in early 2025, with further investment secured in the subsequent months.

Growth and Current Customer Base

Joseph refrained from disclosing updated annual recurring revenue figures, only stating that the company has experienced growth since reaching its initial $1 million milestone. Currently, Clipbook serves 200 clients, including Weber Shandwick and his former employer, Boston Consulting Group.