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Tier Zero VIP

Elyos AI

Adrian Johnston

Venture-backed founder | $16M (Series A $13M, Jan 2026)

9.0
VIP Score
7/10
ICP Fit
$16M
Funding
11-50
Employees
2023
Founded
9/10
Media Gap
Tier Zero VIP

Adrian Johnston is a serial founder with a pedigree that rivals any in this entire batch. Education: Oxford (Master's in Mathematics) → Harvard (MPA, Climate Change & Energy Transition) → INSEAD (MBA, Valedictorian). Career: Goldman Sachs (Global Capital Markets) → BCG (Energy Practice, top 10% of consultants) → Una Brands (Co-Founder - e-commerce aggregator that raised $100M, 300 employees, $70M+ revenue) → Elyos AI (Founder & CEO, YC S23).

Elyos AI has raised $16M total ($3M seed/YC + $13M Series A from Blackbird Ventures, Jan 2026). The company builds AI agents for trades and field services - plumbers, electricians, HVAC, facilities operators - automating calls, booking, dispatch, and follow-ups. The thesis: "Trades businesses are overwhelmed by calls, emails, and admin - and that friction directly costs them revenue." Customers report >96% satisfaction, >80% lead-to-job conversion, and >30% cost reduction.

Previously called "Elyos Energy" (building energy management), the company pivoted from energy optimization to AI agents - keeping the same customer base (trades companies) but completely changing the product. Adrian's BCG energy background led to the energy product; his call centre optimization experience led to the AI agents pivot.

$15K Workshop

Very High fit. At $16M (Series A $13M, Jan 2026) raised with 11-50 employees, Elyos AI sits in Jamie's sweet spot. This is a company at a growth inflection point where the founder's positioning and messaging are the bottleneck, not the product or team.

Why it works: Adrian is the decision-maker. The company is the right size for the $15K price point. The core challenge is a positioning and messaging problem - exactly what Jamie's Unstuck Growth Intensive is built for.

Risk: Adrian may feel media presence is already covered. Jamie needs to show the difference between niche trade press and mainstream founder visibility - and why the latter drives enterprise sales, recruiting, and future fundraising in ways trade press cannot.

Quick Summary

Key Links

LinkedIn Elyos AI Endeavor Greece — Adrian Johnston Profil EU-Startups — "YC-backed Elyos AI raises Y Combinator — Elyos AI Complete AI Training — "Elyos AI raises StartupWired — "Elyos AI: Building Auton SaaS News — "Elyos AI Raises $13 Million American Bazaar — "Elyos AI raises $13M" IT Brief Asia — "Elyos AI raises USD $13 The AI Insider — "Elyos AI Announces £9. BeBeez — Series A coverage (Jan 2026) Startup Researcher — "Elyos AI Raises $1 M&A Insights — Series A (Jan 2026) Sifted — "YC-backed Elyos raises $3M" (2 Nordic9 — Elyos AI Crunchbase — Elyos AI elyos.ai — Homepage elyos.ai — Careers LinkedIn — Adrian Johnston

Key Intel

International Expansion (2026 Priority) - The Series A press release explicitly states: "support international expansion in 2026." UK trades is the beachhead; the question is which markets next. International expansion requires brand awarenes
Category Definition - "AI Agents for Trades" - Blackbird's quote: "We think Elyos is well-positioned to define the AI category for field services and trades." Category definition is won by founders who name and own the narrative. Adrian's "The AI
Post-Series A Awareness Sprint - $13M closed 6 weeks ago. 3 open roles. Expanding engineering and GTM teams. This is the "spend to grow" phase. Every channel of awareness matters - especially for a company targeting SMB trades busi
The "Overqualified" Narrative Gap - Adrian's background (Oxford + Harvard + INSEAD + Goldman + BCG + $100M company) is extraordinary - and completely absent from the press coverage. Every article describes Elyos AI's product. None tel
Competing for AI Talent from London - London's AI talent market is fiercely competitive (DeepMind, Anthropic, Stability AI, countless startups). Elyos needs to attract engineers who choose "AI for plumbers" over "AI for everything." Found
75
ICP Fit
Strong
Right-sized company. Founder & CEO is the decision-maker. Venture-backed growth mode.
65
Workshop Fit
Medium
Positioning gap is the exact problem Jamie's Intensive solves.
95
Reachability
High
Active on LinkedIn. Does media regularly. Accessible CEO.
🕵️

Sherlock Research Summary

Generated by Sherlock - OpenClaw Deep Research Agent • March 6, 2026 • 7 web searches • 18 sources analyzed
AI Agent Executive Summary
Adrian Johnston is a serial founder with a pedigree that rivals any in this entire batch. Education: Oxford (Master's in Mathematics) → Harvard (MPA, Climate Change & Energy Transition) → INSEAD (MBA, Valedictorian). Career: Goldman Sachs (Global Capital Markets) → BCG (Energy Practice, top 10% of consultants) → Una Brands (Co-Founder - e-commerce aggregator that raised $100M, 300 employees, $70M+ revenue) → Elyos AI (Founder & CEO, YC S23).
Elyos AI has raised $16M total ($3M seed/YC + $13M Series A from Blackbird Ventures, Jan 2026). The company builds AI agents for trades and field services - plumbers, electricians, HVAC, facilities operators - automating calls, booking, dispatch, and follow-ups. The thesis: "Trades businesses are overwhelmed by calls, emails, and admin - and that friction directly costs them revenue." Customers report >96% satisfaction, >80% lead-to-job conversion, and >30% cost reduction.
Previously called "Elyos Energy" (building energy management), the company pivoted from energy optimization to AI agents - keeping the same customer base (trades companies) but completely changing the product. Adrian's BCG energy background led to the energy product; his call centre optimization experience led to the AI agents pivot.

What Makes Adrian Interesting

The angles that matter for Jamie's outreach
Decision-maker access (10/10) - HE IS THE CEO. He is the public spokesperson. He is quoted in every press piece. Direct decision-maker with proven media comfort (press, LinkedIn posts, Endeavor)
Story quality (10/10) - Oxford maths -> Harvard climate -> INSEAD valedictorian -> Goldman trading -> BCG energy consulting -> $100M e-commerce company -> YC-backed AI agents for plumbers. This is one of the most unusual and compelling founder arcs I've researched. The "ove
Venture-backed founder (9/10) - $16M total. Blackbird Ventures (lead), YC, Pi Labs. Second-time founder whose previous company raised $100M. Endeavor Greece member. Goldman + BCG + INSEAD pedigree

Where They Might Be Stuck

Signals that the $15K workshop could land
International Expansion (2026 Priority) - The Series A press release explicitly states: "support international expansion in 2026." UK trades is the beachhead; the question is which markets next. International expansion requires brand awarenes
Category Definition - "AI Agents for Trades" - Blackbird's quote: "We think Elyos is well-positioned to define the AI category for field services and trades." Category definition is won by founders who name and own the narrative. Adrian's "The AI
Post-Series A Awareness Sprint - $13M closed 6 weeks ago. 3 open roles. Expanding engineering and GTM teams. This is the "spend to grow" phase. Every channel of awareness matters - especially for a company targeting SMB trades busi
The "Overqualified" Narrative Gap - Adrian's background (Oxford + Harvard + INSEAD + Goldman + BCG + $100M company) is extraordinary - and completely absent from the press coverage. Every article describes Elyos AI's product. None tel
Sources Analyzed (18)
Endeavor Greece — Adrian Johns EU-Startups — "YC-backed Elyos Y Combinator — Elyos AI Complete AI Training — "Elyos StartupWired — "Elyos AI: Buil SaaS News — "Elyos AI Raises $ American Bazaar — "Elyos AI ra IT Brief Asia — "Elyos AI rais The AI Insider — "Elyos AI Ann BeBeez — Series A coverage (Ja Startup Researcher — "Elyos AI M&A Insights — Series A (Jan 2 Sifted — "YC-backed Elyos rais Nordic9 — Elyos AI Crunchbase — Elyos AI elyos.ai — Homepage elyos.ai — Careers LinkedIn — Adrian Johnston

Profile

Identity

TITLE
Founder & CEO
Elyos AI
COMPANY
Elyos AI
Founded 2023 - London, UK
FUNDING
$16M
11-50 employees

Experience

Goldman Sachs
Global Capital Markets
Designed high-impact trading strategies
BCG
Energy Practice
Renewable energy strategies. Top 10% of consultants. Also op
~2020-2022
Una Brands
Co-Founder - e-commerce aggregator (Amazon FBA roll-up). Rai
2023-present
Elyos AI
Founder & CEO - YC S23. Pivoted from energy to AI agents. $1

Ecosystem

SPEAKING
Conference speaker
ACCESS
10/10 - Direct decision-maker

Company & Product

Elyos AI

Websitehttps://elyos.ai
HQLondon, UK
Founded2023
Employees11-50
Revenue$1M-$10M
ProductAI agents for trades and field services

Funding & Growth

$16M
Total Raised
11-50
Employees
2023
Founded
9/10
Growth Score

Funding Details

$16M (Series A $13M, Jan 2026)

Media & Visibility

Channel Effectiveness

LinkedIn
Profile exists
Unknown
Podcast
None found
None
Press
Some coverage
Limited
Speaking
Conference appearances
Active
Blog/Content
None found
None

Online Presence & Gap

Limited

What's Completely Missing

No Podcast No Blog/Content

Pain Signals & Angles In

Signal 1International Expansion (2026 Priority)
  • The Series A press release explicitly states: "support international expansion in 2026." UK trades is the beachhead; the question is which markets next. International expansion requires brand awareness beyond the UK - a podcast with global reach helps establish credibility in new markets before the sales team arrives.
  • Source: EU-Startups, SaaS News, multiple press
Signal 2Category Definition - "AI Agents for Trades"
  • Blackbird's quote: "We think Elyos is well-positioned to define the AI category for field services and trades." Category definition is won by founders who name and own the narrative. Adrian's "The AI Agent Economy Is Here" LinkedIn post shows he's thinking about this - but LinkedIn posts reach hundreds. A podcast reaches tens of thousands.
  • Source: Blackbird Ventures quote, Adrian's LinkedIn
Signal 3Post-Series A Awareness Sprint
  • $13M closed 6 weeks ago. 3 open roles. Expanding engineering and GTM teams. This is the "spend to grow" phase. Every channel of awareness matters - especially for a company targeting SMB trades businesses who discover tools through word-of-mouth and media, not enterprise sales processes.
  • Source: Series A timing, open roles, press strategy
Signal 4The "Overqualified" Narrative Gap
  • Adrian's background (Oxford + Harvard + INSEAD + Goldman + BCG + $100M company) is extraordinary - and completely absent from the press coverage. Every article describes Elyos AI's product. None tells Adrian's personal story. The "Goldman Sachs trader builds AI for plumbers" narrative has never been told. This is a massive missed opportunity for personal brand, recruiting, and investor relations.
  • Source: Comparison of Endeavor bio vs. press coverage
Signal 5Competing for AI Talent from London
  • London's AI talent market is fiercely competitive (DeepMind, Anthropic, Stability AI, countless startups). Elyos needs to attract engineers who choose "AI for plumbers" over "AI for everything." Founder visibility and story quality are key differentiators for technical recruiting. Adrian's BCG + Goldman + INSEAD pedigree helps, but only if people know about it.
  • Source: Open roles, London AI ecosystem

Fit Assessment

7.5
ICP Fit
Very High

Venture-backed, 11-50 employees, Venture-backed founder is the direct decision-maker. Right-sized for the $15K Intensive. The strategic positioning problem is exactly what Jamie solves.

9
Media Gap
9/10

Oxford+Harvard+INSEAD Valedictorian. Goldman+BCG. Previous exit: Una Brands ($100M raised, 300 employees). YC S23. AI agents for trades. Zero podcasts despite elite credentials.

Outreach Angles & Value Bombs

The Killer Narrative

Oxford+Harvard+INSEAD Valedictorian. Goldman+BCG. Previous exit: Una Brands ($100M raised, 300 employees). YC S23. AI agents for trades. Zero podcasts despite elite credentials.

Why Adrian Should Care

Oxford+Harvard+INSEAD Valedictorian. Goldman+BCG. Previous exit: Una Brands ($100M raised, 300 employees). YC S23. AI agents for trades. Zero podcasts despite elite credentials.

Loom Video Audit Ideas

Jamie should pick ONE of these and record a 5-10 minute Loom. The goal: deliver so much free value that Adrian has to respond.

Loom 1 - Website Positioning Audit (RECOMMENDED)
Pull up https://elyos.ai and walk through the homepage messaging. Show the gap between how Elyos AI describes itself (technical/feature language) and how customers would describe the value. Jamie's framework: "Who is this for? What problem does it solve? Is this the customer's language or the company's language?" Point out specific copy that could be stronger. End with: "These are simple changes you can make with what you already have."
This is Jamie's signature move. Specific, actionable, impossible to ignore because it is about Adrian's company.
Keep it conversational, not harsh. Show a good example for contrast. End with something actionable today.
Loom 2 - Founder Visibility Gap Analysis
Google "Adrian Johnston" and "Elyos AI" side by side. Show what comes up - or doesn't. Compare to competitors or similar-stage founders who have strong media presence. The gap between Adrian's credentials/story quality and their actual online visibility is the hook. "Your story is worth 10x more coverage than you're getting."
Pure data, zero judgment. The Google results show the gap between where Adrian's story lives and where it should live.
Frame this as a strategic observation about channel diversification, not criticism.
Loom 3 - Customer vs. Company Language Gap
Find customer testimonials, G2 reviews, or case study quotes for Elyos AI. Show the mismatch between how Elyos AI talks about itself (features, technology) and how customers describe the value (outcomes, feelings, transformation). Jamie's insight: "Your customers are telling a better story than your homepage. That gap is costing you deals."
The language gap between company messaging and customer language is a universal insight that resonates with every founder.
Be specific - pull real quotes if possible. The more concrete the examples, the more likely Adrian takes a call.

Multi-Channel Outreach Plan

Hit multiple channels in the same week. Each touchpoint delivers value, not asks.

1
LinkedIn Connect
Day 1
Warm intro
2
Loom Video
Day 2-3
Value bomb
3
Email + Loom
Day 3-4
Send the audit
4
Side Door
Day 5
Co-founder/CRO
5
Follow-Up
Day 7-10
Gentle nudge
6
Physical Mail
Day 10-14
Pattern interrupt

Day 1: LinkedIn Connection

"Adrian - I work with venture-backed founders navigating post-raise growth. Oxford+Harvard+INSEAD Valedictorian. Goldman+BCG. Previous exit: Una Brands ($100M raised, 300 employees). YC S23. AI ag Would love to connect."

Day 2-3: Record the Loom

Record the Website Positioning Audit (Loom 1 above). Keep it under 10 minutes. Be specific, be helpful, end with actionable advice. Do NOT send via LinkedIn - hold for email.

Day 3-4: Email with Loom

Subject: "Something I noticed about Elyos AI's positioning"

"Hi Adrian - I recorded a short video walking through something I noticed on https://elyos.ai. It's not a pitch - it's a genuine observation about the gap between how Elyos AI describes itself and how your customers talk about you.

[Loom link]

If any of it resonates, I'd love 20 minutes to dig deeper. If not, no worries - hopefully the video is useful either way.

Jamie"

Day 7-10: Follow-Up

"Hi Adrian - one more thought. I looked at how your customers describe Elyos AI vs. how your homepage describes it. The language gap is fascinating - and I think it's the key to unlocking your next wave of growth. Happy to walk through it if you're curious."

Messaging That Might Work

Starting points Jamie should rewrite in his own voice. The specific details are what make them work.

The Direct LinkedIn DM

"Adrian - I work with venture-backed founders navigating post-raise growth positioning. I noticed Elyos AI has raised $16M and is at 11-50 employees - that is exactly the inflection point where founder positioning and messaging become the bottleneck, not the product.

I recorded a short analysis of Elyos AI's positioning that I think you will find useful - no pitch, just observations. Would you be open to a 20-minute strategic diagnostic? Worst case, you get a new perspective on your GTM."

Warm Email Subject Lines

Option A: "Something I noticed about Elyos AI's positioning"
Option B: "The gap between Elyos AI's story and its visibility"
Option C: "Adrian - a question most 11-50-person founders don't ask"
Option D: "Your fundraise story deserves a bigger audience"
Rule: Every subject line is about Adrian's business, not about Jamie.

Things to Avoid

Saying They're "Stuck"
They're growing. Use "what's next" framing, never "what's wrong."
Generic "Let's Hop on a Call"
Adrian gets dozens of these a day. Lead with value, not asks.
Probing Fundraising Details
Stick to published numbers. Don't ask about burn rate or runway.
Comparing to Competitors
Never position against their competitors. Focus on their story.
Being Salesy in the Loom
The Loom should feel like free consulting. If they learn something, the call books itself.
Mentioning Revenue Specifics
Unless publicly disclosed, don't reference ARR or revenue numbers.

Bottom Line

Adrian Johnston is a Tier Zero VIP lead scoring 9.0/10. Oxford+Harvard+INSEAD Valedictorian. Goldman+BCG. Previous exit: Una Brands ($100M raised, 300 employees). YC S23. AI agents for trades. Zero podcasts despite elite credentials.

The positioning gap is the way in: Jamie's Unstuck Growth Intensive is built for exactly this kind of founder - someone with strong credentials and real traction but a gap between their story and their visibility. A personalized Loom audit, sent through multiple channels, will be impossible to ignore because it's about Adrian's business, not about Jamie.

9.0/10
VIP Score
Tier Zero VIP
Lead Tier
5
Pain Signals
3
Loom Ideas