Ethos, a London-based startup leveraging AI to match individuals with meaningful opportunities, has secured €3 million in funding to surface genuine expertise in an online ecosystem dominated by credentials and self-promotion. The funding round was led by General Catalyst and included participation from 8VC, Conviction, Common Magic, Interface, and prominent angels from Sequoia, a16z, and senior partners at firms such as McKinsey and SoftBank.
Unlocking Expertise Beyond Surface-Level Credentials:
Ethos employs cutting-edge AI to analyze millions of data points in seconds with domain-specific understanding. From academic papers, GitHub repositories, and blog articles to podcasts and portfolios, the platform evaluates the full depth of an individual’s expertise at scale.
Founded by James Lo, a former McKinsey consultant and SoftBank operator, and Daniel J. Mankowitz, an AI researcher from Google DeepMind, Ethos is addressing a long-standing challenge in the business world—identifying truly knowledgeable individuals amid a flood of online profiles.
AI-Powered Expert Network for Faster, Better Matches:
Ethos’ platform offers companies an automated expert network that eliminates the long waiting periods often associated with traditional expert sourcing. Instead of taking days to manually identify candidates, companies can describe their knowledge requirements and rapidly access relevant expert profiles.
Already serving over 25 global investment firms and consultancies, Ethos facilitates paid consulting calls directly on its platform. Moving forward, the company plans to expand its offerings by connecting advisors with startups, speakers with conferences, and talent with companies.
Building a Knowledge Graph to Refine Expertise:
Ethos’ proprietary algorithm constructs a knowledge graph of the economy by analyzing public data to trace not just where someone worked, but what they contributed. This approach replaces blunt indicators such as university prestige and job titles with a more nuanced understanding of expertise.
“In a sea of distracting noise, we built Ethos to be the thoughtful listener: understanding what companies and people want, and matching them to each other,” Ethos noted. “Matching people to opportunities underpins the entire human economy. Solving this problem will bring transformative change across massive industries.”
The Future: Beyond Expert Networks
While Ethos currently focuses on facilitating expert calls — a critical aspect of due diligence and strategy in finance and consulting — the company envisions a future where its technology powers better recruitment, market research, speaking engagements, and other high-value interactions.
By spotlighting true expertise rather than amplifying the loudest voices, Ethos aims to unlock opportunities for those with genuine substance, reshaping how businesses identify and engage with top talent globally.
For more insights and updates on Metaverse, DeFi, Blockchain, NFT & Web3, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter. Stay informed on the latest trends and developments in the decentralized world!
