Karat is a leading interviewing-as-a-service company that helps enterprises scale and standardize their technical hiring process. Founded in 2014 by Jeffrey Spector and Mohit Bhende and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the company provides expert interview engineers who conduct structured interviews, delivering actionable insights to hiring teams.
What Is Karat and What Does It Do?
Founded in 2014 by Jeffrey Spector and Mohit Bhende, Karat is headquartered in Seattle, United States, and employs around 40 people.
The company provides technical interview services and interviewing infrastructure that help enterprises evaluate software engineering candidates at scale. Karat’s Interviewing Cloud platform connects professional interview engineers with hiring teams, enabling consistent, fair, and data-backed evaluations.
Through its insights-driven approach, Karat aims to eliminate bias and streamline the technical recruitment process for some of the world’s most recognized technology companies.
How Much Funding Has Karat Raised?
- Series B
- Amount Raised: $28M
- Date: May 2019
- Lead Investors: Tiger Global Management, Norwest Venture Partners, 8VC
- Motivation: To expand product capabilities and grow its engineering interviewer network.
- Series C
- Amount Raised: $110M
- Date: October 2021
- Lead Investors: Tiger Global Management, Norwest Venture Partners, 8VC, Exor, Base Partners, Sempervirens Fund
- Motivation: To scale operations globally and invest in product innovation and data analytics.
- Series C (Extension)
- Amount Raised: $110M
- Date: April 2022
- Lead Investors: Serena Williams
- Motivation: To support the company’s DEI-focused initiatives and expand the Interviewing Cloud network.
Total Funding Raised: $248 Million
Current Valuation: $1.1 Billion (as of October 2021)
Latest Funding Date: April 2022
Key Investors
- Tiger Global Management
- Details: A leading global investment firm known for backing high-growth technology startups across sectors.
- Investment Focus Areas: Internet, software, fintech, and HRTech.
- Notable Investments: Stripe, Facebook, Databricks.
- Base Partners
- Details: A venture capital firm supporting innovative companies in technology and consumer sectors.
- Investment Focus Areas: SaaS, HRTech, and AI-driven platforms.
- Notable Investments: Nubank, Loft, QuintoAndar.
- Serena Williams
- Details: Renowned athlete and investor with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion in business and tech.
- Investment Focus Areas: DEI-driven startups, tech, and consumer brands.
- Notable Investments: MasterClass, Coinbase, Tonal.
- Norwest Venture Partners
- Details: Multi-stage venture firm investing in growth-oriented businesses.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, and consumer.
- Notable Investments: Plaid, Udemy, Calm.
- 8VC
- Details: Venture capital firm focusing on technology and logistics innovation.
- Investment Focus Areas: Software, logistics, AI, and healthcare.
- Notable Investments: Palantir, Wish, Asana.
Where Is Karat’s Headquarters?
Karat’s headquarters is located in Seattle, Washington, one of the United States’ most vibrant tech hubs. The city’s access to top engineering talent and proximity to major tech firms like Amazon and Microsoft makes it an ideal location for a company revolutionizing technical hiring. This environment fosters collaboration, innovation, and the development of scalable hiring solutions that serve leading global enterprises.
What’s Next for Karat?
Karat is focused on expanding its Interviewing Cloud ecosystem, enabling more companies to conduct consistent, bias-free technical interviews. The company aims to deepen its partnerships with enterprises and accelerate adoption in global markets. With its growing investor network and commitment to equitable hiring, Karat is well-positioned to lead the next phase of innovation in interview intelligence and technical talent assessment.
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