Upgrow

What Upgrow does

Upgrow is a privately held performance digital marketing agency incorporated in California and operating from San Diego and San Francisco. Founded in 2018, the agency specializes in lead generation and customer acquisition for B2B technology and SaaS companies, with a stated focus on tech-specific verticals rather than generalist marketing services. Upgrow delivers managed paid-media campaigns (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Meta Ads, Microsoft Ads, programmatic) and performance SEO services under monthly retainer contracts, with pricing set at $3,000/month base or 12% of ad spend for paid media and $6,000/month for SEO, typically billed annually at a 20% discount.

The agency's technology stack centers on BrandBrain, a proprietary AI GPT knowledge base that consolidates client brand messaging, ICP, collateral, and storytelling guidelines into reusable campaign assets. BrandBrain is layered on the AirOps platform to power templated AI workflows for ad copy, landing pages, and audience research, with disclosed automation of approximately 60% of production tasks and human specialist oversight for the remainder. Upgrow holds Premier-level certifications with Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and HubSpot, providing access to platform betas and dedicated support.

Upgrow serves a diversified mix of primarily enterprise and mid-market tech clients (including InfluxData, BioRender, DataStax, Orca Security, EventMobi, and Split) alongside selected healthcare, financial services, and ecommerce accounts. The company claims 100+ tech clients, $15M+ in annual managed media spend, 200K+ qualified leads generated, and 90-day performance guarantees under a "Love Us or Leave Us" structure. Distribution combines direct sales (website booking, strategy calls) with a formalized referral partner program paying 5% recurring commissions to fractional CMOs, marketing consultants, and accelerators. No institutional funding has been disclosed; the company has earned Inc. 5000 recognition twice and a #34 ranking on the San Francisco Business Times Fastest-Growing Bay Area Business list.

Name

Upgrow

Legal name

Upgrow, Inc.

Website

https://upgrow.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Marketing Automation & Bid Management Services (MPAAACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Attribution, Measurement, Analytics & Incrementality (BPAMALAF)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Paid media management
• Search engine optimization
• Lead generation agency
• Performance marketing agency

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Paid Media Management Services: Monthly retainer for managing paid advertising campaigns across Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Meta Ads, X Ads, and programmatic. Pricing includes setup fee plus monthly management fee, or 12% of ad spend whichever is higher.
2. SEO Management Services: Monthly retainer for ongoing SEO services including technical SEO, content creation, link building, and GEO/AI SEO optimization. Includes initial audit fee.
3. Referral Commission Revenue: 5% recurring commission on referred client monthly retainers, up to $500/month per client, with setup fees up to $1,000. Partners can earn up to $7,000 per referred client annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Upgrow is a performance digital marketing agency that manages paid advertising campaigns (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Meta Ads, Microsoft Ads, X Ads, Reddit Ads, and programmatic) and delivers SEO services (technical SEO, content writing, link building, local SEO, and AI/AEO optimization) for B2B tech companies. Engagements are sold as monthly retainer subscriptions with dedicated specialists per account, supported by the proprietary BrandBrain AI knowledge base that powers automated ad copy, landing page generation, and rapid testing cycles.

Product overview

Upgrow is a performance digital marketing agency offering a unified platform of marketing services. The core offerings include Performance SEO (with sub-services for SEO content writing, technical SEO, SEO audits, link building, and AEO/AI SEO) and Paid Media Management (covering Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads, X Ads, Reddit Ads, and Microsoft Ads). The agency operates specialized divisions for Growth Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Demand Generation, Lead Generation, Customer Acquisition, Performance Marketing, and Ecommerce Marketing. Supporting proprietary tools include BrandBrain (AI knowledge base system), UpBlog (blog), UpGuides (guides), and UpLab (AI-powered marketing tools). Case studies demonstrate results across various industries including InfluxData, BioRender, MobyCap, Huddle Men's Health, EventMobi, CFO Hub, and DataStax.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Performance SEO
• Paid Media Management
• Growth Marketing Agency
• Demand Generation Agency
• Lead Generation Marketing Agency
• Ecommerce Marketing Agency
• AEO / AI SEO

Quantifiable outcome

• 200% to 800% sales growth within 90 days
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Certified Google Ads Agency with Premier Partner status. Provides clients with premium support, beta features access, dedicated Google representatives, and priority campaign support. Official Google Partner badge displayed on website.
• LinkedIncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Certified LinkedIn Ads Agency Partner. Enables access to early ad platform features, beta tools, and dedicated platform support for B2B advertising campaigns.
• Microsoft AdsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCertified Microsoft Advertising partner managing Bing Ads campaigns as supplementary search channel for clients.
• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified HubSpot partner providing marketing automation, CRM integration, and inbound marketing services. Access to beta features and dedicated support as Premier partner.
• AirOpscoreTechnology or IntegrationAI platform used for proven AI workflows. Powers automated ad templates, landing page funnels, and research methods. Built on learnings from $30M+ in ad spend.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Single Grain: Single Grain is a performance digital marketing agency specializing in SaaS and tech companies, offering SEO, paid media, and CRO services. Directly comparable to Upgrow in target market (B2B SaaS/tech), service mix (paid media + SEO), and outcome-based positioning.
• Directive Consulting: Directive is a B2B and enterprise SaaS performance marketing agency specializing in paid media, SEO, and ABM through paid channels. Closely aligned with Upgrow's tech/SaaS vertical focus and emphasis on measurable pipeline growth.
• KlientBoost: KlientBoost is a paid media and conversion rate optimization agency serving SaaS and B2B clients. Directly comparable in paid acquisition (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Meta) and CRO service offerings targeting similar tech buyers.
• Ladder: Ladder is a digital marketing agency offering paid media, SEO, and growth services to SaaS and DTC brands. Comparable in business model (managed retainer services), channel mix, and outcome-oriented positioning.
• Disruptive Advertising: Disruptive Advertising is a performance marketing agency specializing in paid search, paid social, and SEO with an emphasis on measurable ROI. Overlaps with Upgrow on Google Ads management, SEO, and conversion optimization for mid-market clients.
• Growth Squad: Growth Squad is a B2B SaaS-focused growth marketing agency offering demand generation, paid media, and content marketing. Directly comparable in vertical specialization on SaaS/tech and full-funnel acquisition services.

Broad incumbents

• Tinuiti: Tinuiti is a large independent performance marketing agency managing paid search, paid social, SEO, and programmatic across many verticals. Operates at much greater scale than Upgrow with broader channel offerings and serves a wider customer base beyond tech/SaaS.
• Power Digital Marketing: Power Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency with paid media, SEO, content, and CRO offerings. Larger and broader portfolio than Upgrow, with overlapping paid media and SEO capabilities but less specialized in B2B SaaS.
• WebFX: WebFX is a large full-service digital marketing agency offering SEO, PPC, and web design with proprietary marketing automation software (MarketingCloudFX). Overlaps with Upgrow on core paid media and SEO services but operates at significantly greater scale across many verticals.

Emerging players

• AdVenture Media: AdVenture Media is a paid media agency and Google Premier Partner offering Google Ads, Meta Ads, and YouTube advertising with a strong education content presence. Comparable in channel mix and Google Premier Partner status but less SaaS-vertical specialization than Upgrow.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@upgrow-marketing
• Facebookfacebook.com/UpgrowSF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upgrowio
• Xx.com/upgrowsf

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upgrow