Origami launches a chat-based AI tool for sales leads
Origami, a San Francisco startup backed by Y Combinator, has released a conversational prospecting tool that turns plain-English prompts into ready-to-work lead lists within minutes. It's positioned as an alternative to spreadsheet-heavy workflows and the big database tools many reps wrestle with today. Pricing starts at USD $80 per month on a flat plan-no per-seat fees.
What it does
The interface looks like chat. You type what you want (company traits, titles, locations, signals), and it returns a lead list with contacts and context. Origami frames this as a replacement for early-stage SDR work-finding accounts, enriching records, and filtering by fit-without the usual maze of filters and CSVs.
Data sources and signals- Real-time research across 15+ sources: permits, job postings, review sites, local directories, LinkedIn, and tech stack signals
- Built-in signal prospecting: funding, hiring, and news
Where it fits vs. incumbents
Clay, Apollo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and ZoomInfo are the default stack for many teams. According to Origami, database-led systems work well when targets have rich digital profiles, but they can miss local businesses, SMBs, and niche verticals. The pitch: chat-led, signal-first prospecting to surface accounts and people traditional indexes overlook.
Early traction
The company reported organic growth in January and February 2026 with no paid marketing. It surpassed 1,000 signups in February after landing "Product of the Day" on Product Hunt. Origami also cited multiple unsolicited enterprise inquiries and free-to-paid conversions during onboarding.
What users are saying
- "We were previously using Clay to generate lead lists - this is wayyyyy easier to use." - Venkat Arun, Co-founder of Datafruit
- "It's like if Clay didn't need a whole university course to use." - Iskander, creator of CreateWithPlay
- "Pulling a lot more people than ZoomInfo was, even with same filters." - Lewis Starrett, Business Development at Matey.Ai
- "Tried both Sales Navigator and Apify for finding people with 'open to work' but couldn't - Origami was able to." - Bilal Yousuf, Co-founder and CEO of LineSight
- "We just closed a partnership from a lead we got from Origami." - Joseph Risi, MDRC
- "Probably unlocked a few million in spend via that list made from Origami." - Osiris, Founding Sales and Growth at Affiniti
- "I have 3-4 other colleagues that will be signing up soon for the trial." - Kevin Brown, VP/GM, QP Hydraulics Division at Prince Industries
Pricing and access
USD $80/month on a flat plan (no per-seat markup). Output is described as a "ready-to-work lead list" delivered within minutes. For small teams, the flat fee matters-no need to negotiate seat packs just to test a new source of pipeline.
Who gets the most value
- Founders and first SDRs spinning up ICP, territory focus, or a new vertical
- Teams prospecting local businesses, SMBs, or hard-to-index niches
- Reps who dislike juggling spreadsheets, enrichment tools, and manual filters
How to trial it in your workflow this week
- Define your ICP in one tight sentence: "VC-backed B2B SaaS, 11-200 employees, hiring SDRs, using HubSpot."
- Prompt examples:
- "Find 150 manufacturing companies in the Midwest with recent facility permits, 50-500 employees, and a Director of Operations contact."
- "List seed to Series B fintechs hiring for RevOps; include VP Sales or Head of Partnerships emails."
- "Pull local home services businesses in Austin with 100+ Google reviews and 'open to work' managers on LinkedIn."
- Spot-check 10-15 records for accuracy and fit. Tag keepers by segment to test outreach angles.
- Run 2-3 short outreach variants per segment. Measure reply rate and meeting rate before scaling.
How it compares (at a glance)
- Clay: Powerful enrichment workflows across sources; steeper learning curve for non-technical users.
- Apollo/ZoomInfo: Large indexed databases; may yield fewer results for SMB/local targets, per Origami's claims.
- Origami: Chat-first, real-time research across varied sources with built-in signal filters.
Founders and build
Founded by Finn Mallery (CEO), Kenson Chung (President), and Rahul Chandler (CTO). Early engineering team: Austin Kennedy, Bram Lebovitz, Sunny Chung, Charlie Mallery, and Anders Groeschel.
Bottom line for sales teams
If your current stack stalls on local, mid-market, or niche segments, a chat-led, signal-first pass is worth testing. Keep it simple: one ICP, one territory, one week of controlled outreach. If the list quality and speed beat your baseline, you've found leverage.
Want structured training on bringing AI into daily sales work? Explore our AI Learning Path for Sales Representatives.
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