London-based startup Ethos has secured $22.75 million in Series A funding led by a16z, with participation from General Catalyst, XTX Markets, Evantic Capital, and Common Magic. The company is building an expert network that uses voice-powered AI onboarding to match businesses with specialized professionals, moving beyond the traditional job-title-based approach used by platforms like LinkedIn and GLG.
Rethinking expert matching with voice AI
Traditional expert networks rely on static forms and job titles to categorize professionals, often missing nuanced skills and sub-specializations. Ethos aims to solve this by using voice-based interviews during onboarding, allowing experts to describe their knowledge in detail. The platform then uses this richer data to match companies with individuals who possess specific capabilities, not just relevant job titles.
For example, a pharmaceutical company could search for doctors who have published research on a particular disease and also understand drug development processes. Similarly, a client could ask: ‘Find me people who worked at a funded startup by A-grade investors solving for finance automation.’ Ethos claims its voice-driven data capture makes such complex queries possible.
Founders bring complementary expertise
Ethos was founded in 2024 by James Lo and Daniel Mankowitz. Lo previously worked at McKinsey and Softbank, where he was involved in the transformation of companies like WeWork and Arm. Mankowitz, a former AI researcher at DeepMind, contributed to YouTube’s video compression algorithm, Gemini, and the AlphaDev sorting algorithm.
Lo explained that traditional platforms focus on job titles, but clients and employers increasingly seek specific skills and capabilities. ‘We observed that, over time, looking for a skill and capability is going to gradually merge between the human economy and the agent economy,’ he said. Mankowitz added that the economy is a knowledge graph of people, companies, and products, and that the right algorithms can match these entities effectively.
How Ethos scales its network
Beyond voice-based onboarding, Ethos supplements its data with public sources such as blogs, academic papers, and social links. The platform also conducts interviews using its own AI voice agents to extract deeper insights. While competitors like Listen Labs and Outset offer conversational AI for interviews, Ethos believes its curated expert network gives it an edge for certain clients.
The company has not disclosed its exact client list but says top hedge funds, private equity firms, leading AI labs, and enterprise consulting firms are already using the product. Ethos charges a per-project fee of 30% or more, depending on the project’s nature. It reports being on track for ‘eight-figure annualized revenue’ but declined to provide specific figures.
Growth and challenges
Ethos has not revealed how many experts are on its platform but says roughly 35,000 people are joining each week. The startup sends invitations to individuals it believes can benefit from the network. One key challenge is growing a user base that remains relevant to client needs. The company notes that AI labs’ increasing investment in mapping human talent is a tailwind, as these labs seek experts across law, health, finance, and management to train models and gather feedback.
With a compact team of eight employees, Ethos plans to scale its platform while keeping the team lean. The company’s focus remains on deepening its data capture and improving matching accuracy, rather than expanding headcount rapidly.
Why this matters
The expert network industry has long relied on superficial signals like job titles, leaving companies struggling to find truly qualified advisors. Ethos’s voice-driven approach could set a new standard for how professionals are discovered and matched, particularly as AI labs and enterprises demand more precise talent mapping. The investment from a16z and other prominent backers signals confidence in this model, though scaling the expert base and maintaining relevance will be critical to long-term success.
Conclusion
Ethos’s $22.75 million Series A round marks a significant bet on voice-powered AI to transform expert networks. By capturing deeper knowledge through voice interviews, the startup aims to solve a persistent problem in talent matching. As AI continues to reshape industries, platforms like Ethos may become essential for companies seeking specialized human expertise.
FAQs
Q1: What is Ethos?
Ethos is a London-based startup that uses voice-powered AI onboarding to match companies with specialized experts, moving beyond traditional job-title-based matching.
Q2: How does Ethos differ from LinkedIn or GLG?
Instead of relying on static forms and job titles, Ethos uses voice interviews to capture deeper knowledge and skills, enabling more precise matching for complex client queries.
Q3: Who are the founders of Ethos?
Ethos was founded by James Lo, formerly of McKinsey and Softbank, and Daniel Mankowitz, a former AI researcher at DeepMind.
Q4: How much funding has Ethos raised?
Ethos raised $22.75 million in Series A funding led by a16z, with participation from General Catalyst, XTX Markets, Evantic Capital, and Common Magic.
Q5: What industries does Ethos serve?
Ethos serves top hedge funds, private equity firms, leading AI labs, and enterprise consulting firms, among others.
Disclaimer: The information provided is not trading advice, Bitcoinworld.co.in holds no liability for any investments made based on the information provided on this page. We strongly recommend independent research and/or consultation with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions.