MarkOS, a new AI startup based in Seattle, recently raised $4 million in funding to help companies manage adherence to their brand guidelines. The company’s CEO, Marius Ciocirlan, previously worked as the managing director at Techstars Seattle. His co-founders at MarkOS are David Dawson, co-founder of recycling startup Ridwell, and Wesley Yun, former head of design at Asana. The company is developing software that uses AI to continuously audit a company’s brand assets, targeting large enterprises, particularly franchises or brands in highly regulated industries that spend significant resources to ensure compliance with brand guidelines.
In addition to auditing brand assets, MarkOS can also help companies create brand assets themselves. Ciocirlan mentioned that the company is keeping quiet about additional details of its product and partnerships. He highlighted the fear that generative AI may enable non-creatives to create non-compliant content and expressed the company’s mission to prevent this outcome. Investors in MarkOS’s pre-seed round include Ludlow Ventures, Bessemer, Ascend, and Breakers, as well as individuals from Red Antler, Plug and Play, Four Acres Capital, and executives from OpenAI and Nike.
MarkOS has recently opened an office in the Pioneer Square neighborhood in Seattle and plans to work in-person five days a week. Prior to joining Techstars Seattle, Ciocirlan co-founded ShareGrid, which was acquired by Backstage. He also has experience as a product designer for companies like Groupon, Kromatic Entertainment, and Samsung. Wesley Yun has a background working on the WebOS operating system at Palm and has held design leadership roles at companies like Samsung, Lytro, GoPro, and Uber Freight. David Dawson, another co-founder, was an early engineer at Zillow and co-founded Stash, a loyalty reward startup for independent hotels.
MarkOS aims to leverage AI technology to help companies ensure compliance with brand guidelines and prevent the creation of non-compliant content by non-creatives. The company’s software uses AI to continuously audit brand assets such as photos, videos, and text. MarkOS is specifically targeting large enterprises, franchises, and brands in highly regulated industries that need to ensure that employees and partners adhere to strict brand guidelines. By providing these companies with tools to monitor and create brand assets, MarkOS seeks to streamline the process of maintaining brand consistency and compliance.
Investors in MarkOS’s pre-seed round include Ludlow Ventures, Bessemer, Ascend, and Breakers, among others. The company has received support from individuals at Red Antler, Plug and Play, Four Acres Capital, as well as executives from companies like OpenAI and Nike. MarkOS recently opened an office in Seattle and plans to work in-person five days a week. The company’s CEO, Marius Ciocirlan, previously co-founded ShareGrid and has experience as a product designer for various companies. Wesley Yun, another co-founder, has worked at companies like Palm, Samsung, Lytro, GoPro, and Uber Freight, while David Dawson was an early engineer at Zillow and co-founded Stash.
With the rise of generative AI, MarkOS recognizes the need to prevent non-creatives from creating non-compliant content. The company aims to empower organizations to maintain brand consistency and adherence to guidelines by providing them with AI-driven tools to monitor and create brand assets. By leveraging AI technology, MarkOS hopes to address the challenges faced by large enterprises and regulated industries in managing their brand assets and ensuring compliance. The company’s software can assist companies in auditing brand assets as well as creating brand assets, ultimately helping them save time and resources in maintaining brand consistency and compliance.
