Moncton, N.B.-based Clarity announced its raised $1.6 million in funding today and also launching a new feature on its “dial-a-mentor” service.
Founder and CEO Dan Martell began the phone-based, advice-giving service in beta mode in January because he wanted to connect budding entrepreneurs around the world with those who’d been down that path before and he felt a phone conversation was the best way to do that. Members using the Clarity.fm Web site, or mobile app, simply book calls with mentors and pay a specified rate for their time.
Not only is Dan Martell the founder of Clarity, he’s also a mentor.
Since May, the service has processed more than 12,000 calls from 47 different countries, according to a press release. Now it’s raised a seed round of funding led by Baseline Ventures, Freestyle Capital, Mark Cuban, Real Ventures and Version One Ventures, 500 Startups, Venture 51, Ariel Poler, Howard Lindzon, Gerry Pond, and Haroon Mokhtarzada. The funding will be put towards growing the company through new engineering hires and localization of Clarity in other countries.
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Clarity Needs, the new feature announced, helps entrepreneurs identify the right mentor on the side available to give advice. The users simply post topics they want help with and others in the community recommend an advisor to ask for advice. An algorithm in the Clarity backend uses the peer recommendations to give better recommendations of experts based on knowledge areas and responsiveness.
Martell has previously told ITBusiness.ca he hopes to impact 1 billion people worldwide by 2022 with Clarity. He’s betting that aiding entrepreneurs will have a ripple effect.