Georgian and NewtonX show B2B growth-stage companies how to scale AI in R&D and GTM

Scaling AI in growth-stage companies requires clear benchmarks and actionable guidance.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the business landscape, but for growth-stage B2B software companies, scaling AI is a delicate balance between potential and execution. Challenges like data security, integration complexity, and defining ROI are forcing leaders to rethink their strategies.

To address this, Georgian, an investor in growth-stage companies partnered with NewtonX to create a benchmarking report. Using Georgian’s Crawl, Walk, Run (CWR) framework, the collaboration grounded the framework in hard data, capturing insights from senior leaders in R&D and go-to-market (GTM) functions. These insights provide the illustrative benchmarks and  guidance companies may refer  to in scaling AI effectively.

Survey of 601 leaders reveals AI impact on productivity, costs, and revenue.

NewtonX surveyed 601 executives from growth-stage B2B companies across 10 countries, 15 industries, and with annual recurring revenues (ARR) of $5M–$200M. The study split participants evenly between 300 R&D leaders and 300 GTM strategists:

• R&D leaders shared insights on AI projects, data sources, and barriers, with cost cited as the biggest challenge.
• GTM strategists discussed metrics, adoption challenges, and future plans, revealing struggles to unlock AI’s potential fully.

Using Georgian’s Crawl, Walk, Run (CWR) framework, NewtonX segmented respondents to identify traits of companies excelling in AI maturity.

Key findings:

• Productivity drives adoption: Internal gains are reported to be the top motivator for implementing AI.
• Data insights dominate use cases: 46% of companies reported having AI projects in production, though insight quality remains a major concern.
• GTM adoption lags: Only 11% of reporting companies use AI broadly across GTM functions, though 35% of companies report that they plan to adopt AI soon.
• “Runners” outperform peers: Among surveyed companies, 12% were categorized as Runners—organizations with advanced AI maturity—and this group achieves up to 2x ARR growth.

“This benchmarking report doesn’t just highlight where growth stage companies are—it uncovers what forward-thinking leaders are doing differently to succeed. NewtonX was a trusted partner for this work—their precision in reaching the right voices and their ability to surface actionable insights were key reasons to choose them.”

– James Lamberti, Head of Go-to-Market at Georgian

Georgian and NewtonX reveal a new AI benchmark for growth-stage companies.

In partnership with NewtonX, Georgian launched AI, Applied, a benchmarking report showing the gap between AI leaders and laggards in growth-stage B2B companies is widening. 

The report revealed a striking insight: 12% of companies were categorized as “Runners”—organizations with advanced AI maturity—and achieved up to 2x ARR growth compared to their peers. This elite group exhibits specific behaviors that set them apart.

By combining Georgian’s framework with NewtonX’s expertise in targeted research, the AI, Applied report is a resource for companies looking to close the gap and unlock AI’s full potential. This collaboration ensures that companies understand where they are and how to advance

“Growth-stage B2B companies are at a turning point where AI can become a game-changer or a missed opportunity. We’re  looking to help these companies navigate the complexities of scaling AI to drive meaningful outcomes,” said James Lamberti, Head of Go-to-Market at Georgian. “This benchmarking report doesn’t just highlight where growth stage companies are—it uncovers what forward-thinking leaders are doing differently to succeed. NewtonX was a trusted partner for this work—their precision in reaching the right voices and their ability to surface actionable insights were key reasons to choose them.”