Turnout Raises $35M to Build an AI Advocate for Every American

Most Americans don't know what they're entitled to. And the ones who do often can't get it.

Over 70% of Social Security disability claims are denied at initial application. Veterans wait four months or more for VA decisions that determine their income for life. Parents of the 8 million children with active IEPs regularly face rooms full of credentialed professionals with no advocate of their own. And 67 million Medicare enrollees are largely left to figure out the system alone.

San Diego-based Turnout was built for exactly this gap. The company announced a $35 million Series A on June 11, 2026, bringing its total valuation to $400 million. The round was led by HighPost Capital, with participation from Shine Capital, LGVP, Mangusta Capital, Honeystone Ventures, and investor Omri Casspi.

How Turnout Works

At the center of the platform is Jake, an AI agent that handles the tasks most people either avoid or fail at: waiting on hold, chasing records, filling out applications, and flagging when a human expert needs to step in.

That last part matters.

Turnout isn't positioning itself as a purely automated service. Licensed human advocates handle the moments that require real empathy and professional judgment.

The model is intentionally hybrid, combining AI efficiency with human accountability to make high-quality advocacy accessible to people who can't afford to hire a lawyer or a specialist.

Turnout currently operates in Social Security disability and veterans benefits. The new capital will fund expansion into healthcare and education, which together represent a significant share of the bureaucratic friction Americans face at nearly every income level.

Traction Since Seed

Turnout closed its seed round in September 2025. In less than nine months, the company grew its client base fivefold and logged more than 10 million minutes of AI and human-led advocacy.

For a platform targeting populations that have historically been underserved by technology products, that growth rate is notable. It suggests the product is reaching people who actually need it, not just early adopters.

The Structural Problem Turnout Is Solving

The social safety net in the United States is real, but accessing it isn't straightforward. The gap between benefits Americans are legally entitled to and benefits they actually receive is driven less by eligibility and more by process: confusing applications, long wait times, appeals processes, and the sheer persistence required to navigate systems that weren't designed with the end user in mind.

Turnout's bet is that AI can absorb most of the procedural burden while humans stay in the loop for anything requiring judgment or relationship. It's a version of the AI-plus-human model showing up across healthcare, legal, and financial services, applied specifically to the public benefits space.

What's Next

The $35 million will go toward expanding Jake's capabilities, growing the human advocate network, and launching the healthcare and education verticals. The company's stated goal is to be a lifelong advocate, not a one-time transactional service.

CEO Itai Hirsch framed it directly: the gap between what Americans are entitled to and what they actually receive is inexcusable. Turnout's product is a direct attempt to close it.

For impact investors tracking AI applications in social infrastructure, this is a company worth watching.