AI uncovers markets you didn’t know you had

In B2B go-to-market strategies, account-based marketing (ABM) is a proven approach—but finding the right targets isn’t always straightforward. For manufacturers of highly technical components like sensors, seals, or connection technologies, the versatility of their products means they could fit in tons of industries. Yet in reality, sales teams often focus only on familiar core markets, leaving countless niche sectors unexplored because manual research isn’t economically viable. 

That’s where AI steps in as a strategic “radar.” Rather than asking “who buys from us today?,” this new generative AI approach asks “which industries have technical problems our product can solve—even if they don’t yet realize it?” By extracting the functional essence of a product, AI can scan vast global datasets to identify where similar technical requirements exist outside a company’s known markets.

This technique involves three key steps. First, AI abstracts product data into a functional profile—for example, “precise pressure measurement in corrosive liquids at extreme temperatures.” Then it transfers this profile across industry data sources to find matches. Finally, it generates a data-driven shortlist of potential target industries where the product aligns with specific needs, regardless of whether the manufacturer has marketed there before.

The outcome is more than just a list of company names. Each suggested market segment is pre-qualified based on market attractiveness, technical fit, and purchase intent, making it easier for sales and marketing teams to allocate ABM resources where the likelihood of success is highest. Instead of broad, unfocused outreach, organizations can adopt a “sniper-precise” strategy—focusing efforts on high-potential targets backed by AI insights.

For manufacturers of complex components, this AI-powered “market radar” represents a shift from intuition-based targeting to intelligence-driven discovery. By revealing where products could solve real problems—sometimes in surprising industries—companies can unlock new revenue streams and grow beyond traditional customer bases.