Startup Customer Growth: Gamma and Engine Show Virality Is Optional
Gamma, Engine and Google Ventures explain how targeted creators, phone sales, events and usage data help startups acquire and retain more loyal customers.
Summary
At a startup event held the week before October 23, 2026, Engine founder and CEO Elia Wallen, Gamma founder and CEO Grant Lee, and Google Ventures general partner Crystal Huang argued that startups can win and retain customers without virality. Founder-driven social attention has helped young AI companies Cluely and Instinct build audiences, but Lee said channel choice depends on the business and creator campaigns require active management.
Gamma’s AI-powered presentation software scaled through its Ambassadors, or “Gambassador,” program, helping it achieve exponential growth and a multi-billion-dollar valuation. Lee said creators should map to distinct use cases, such as consultants and marketers producing CMO decks, and must understand how to express product value because indiscriminate spending will not generate sales. Engine, which manages lodging and travel bookings for midsize businesses, reached $150 million in bookings without outside funding or a visible social strategy, relying on events, phone prospecting and a magician named David to draw prospects to its booth. Huang urged founders to track recurring or rising usage, retention and referrals, then cultivate superfans willing to promote the product, join the company or identify with the brand.
Positives
- Engine reached $150 million in bookings before accepting outside funding, despite having no visible social media strategy.
- Gamma’s Gambassador creator program helped its AI presentation business grow exponentially and reach a multi-billion-dollar valuation.
- Segment-specific creators can address distinct audiences, including consultants and marketers who prepare presentations for CMOs.
- Recurring or increasing usage, retention and referrals can reveal customer strength before a startup reaches greater scale.
- Phone prospecting, events and magician David helped Engine engage an offline customer base and attract booth visitors.
Risks & concerns
- Early customer interest offers no guarantee that users will remain with a startup.
- Creator campaigns can fail regardless of spending when influencers cannot explain a product’s value.
- Founder-led social attention works for Cluely and Instinct, but its effectiveness varies by business type.
- Companies that reject phone prospecting as outdated risk missing a large offline customer base.
- Treating influencer marketing as a set-and-forget channel can weaken targeting and sales conversion.