Handshake joined the Unicorn Club on May 12, 2021. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States, the company provides an online job platform for graduates. Users can create profiles, list skills and experience, and apply for full-time or part-time positions. Recruiters can post jobs that detail the required skills and experience. Handshake’s platform is available on iOS and Android, serving companies such as P&G, Airbnb, Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon, and PwC.
Keep reading to learn how Handshake built a $3.5B career platform connecting students and graduates to opportunities worldwide.
What Is Handshake and What Does It Do?
Founded in 2014, Handshake is a career network connecting students and recent graduates with employers. Its platform enables job discovery, application management, and recruitment automation. Handshake’s mission is to democratize access to career opportunities by making it easier for young professionals to find jobs that match their skills and ambitions.
How Much Funding Has Handshake Raised?
- Series E Round
- Amount Raised: $80 million
- Date: May 12, 2021
- Lead Investors: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Spark Capital
- Purpose: Expand platform features, grow user base, and enhance recruitment tools.
- Earlier Rounds (Seed to Series D)
- Cumulative Funding: ~$434 million
- Key Investors: Annox Capital, Proactive, and others
- Purpose: Product development, market expansion, and talent acquisition.
Total Funding Raised: ~$434 million
Latest Funding Date: Series F, Jan 19, 2022
Latest Known Valuation: ~$3.5 billion
Employee Count: 1,069 (as of Dec 31, 2024)
Key Investors
- Lightspeed Venture Partners
- Details: Global venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech companies.
- Focus Areas: HRTech, SaaS, and consumer platforms.
- Spark Capital
- Details: Venture capital firm investing in technology-driven startups.
- Focus Areas: Marketplace platforms, digital recruitment, and SaaS.
- Annox Capital
- Details: Growth-focused investment firm supporting technology companies.
- Focus Areas: HRTech, online marketplaces, and enterprise software.
- Proactive
- Details: Investment firm providing capital for scaling technology ventures.
- Focus Areas: Career-tech, education platforms, and online job marketplaces.
Where Is Handshake’s Headquarters?
Handshake is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States, supporting platform development, employer partnerships, and graduate career services globally.
What’s Next for Handshake?
Handshake plans to expand its global footprint, enhance AI-driven job recommendations, and continue building partnerships with universities and employers. The company aims to become the leading career discovery platform for students and graduates worldwide.
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