Monaco, an AI CRM Challenging Salesforce, Emerges
- Sam Blond, formerly CRO of Brex, unveils AI-native CRM ‘Monaco’
- Stripe’s Collison brothers, YC’s Garry Tan, and others participate in investment
- Strategy to replace legacy CRMs with an AI-native alternative
Sam Blond, Returns to Entrepreneurship After VC Stint
Sam Blond joined Brex as its 20th employee and, as CRO, grew revenue to hundreds of millions of dollars[TechCrunch]. He joined Founders Fund but left after just 18 months[TechCrunch]. Monaco, which he had been secretly developing, was unveiled on February 11th.
AI-Native Design Targeting Salesforce’s Legacy
Monaco is a CRM designed from the ground up with AI. While Salesforce adds AI to its existing system, Monaco has AI at its core. Salesforce’s FY2026 Q3 revenue grew 8.6% year-over-year, showing its strength, but its legacy complexity has been a long-standing complaint[CNBC].
Stripe co-founders, the Collison brothers, and YC CEO, Garry Tan, participated in the investment[TechCrunch].
AI CRM Market Competition Intensifies
Monaco isn’t alone. Clarify ($15 million) and Aurasell ($30 million) are also building AI-native CRMs[GeekWire]. However, Blond’s strength lies in his experience at Brex, where he generated 80% of revenue through outbound sales. He can design a CRM from a practical, field-oriented perspective, not just a technological one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Monaco?
A: It’s an AI-native, all-in-one CRM founded by Sam Blond. Instead of adding AI to an existing CRM, it’s designed with AI at its core. It aims to be a Salesforce alternative and has received investment from the founders of Stripe and the CEO of YC.
Q: Who is Sam Blond?
A: He’s an early member and former CRO of Brex. After growing revenue to hundreds of millions of dollars, he became a partner at Founders Fund before founding Monaco. He’s a well-known figure in the Silicon Valley sales scene.
Q: How is an AI-native CRM different from a traditional CRM?
A: Traditional CRMs require a lot of manual input, and AI is added later. AI-native CRMs are designed with AI from the start, with AI handling data collection and analysis, reducing manual work and automatically providing insights.
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References
- Former Founders Fund VC Sam Blond launches AI sales startup to upend Salesforce – TechCrunch (2026-02-11)
- Ex-Brex exec Sam Blond is already leaving Founders Fund – TechCrunch (2024-03-04)
- Salesforce (CRM) Q3 earnings report 2026 – CNBC (2025-12-03)
- Clarify lands $15M to take on Salesforce with AI-native CRM – GeekWire (2025-10-22)