London-based startup Ethos has raised $22.75 million in a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) to transform how companies find and connect with subject-matter experts. The company replaces traditional job-title-based matching with a voice-powered AI onboarding system that captures deeper, more nuanced knowledge from experts.
Voice-first onboarding for better matching
Traditional expert networks like GLG, Third Bridge, and Alphasights rely on experts filling out forms based on their job titles. Ethos argues this approach misses critical sub-specializations. Instead, the platform uses conversational AI to conduct voice interviews with experts, asking a broader set of curated questions. This process collects richer data about their skills, experience, and domain knowledge — information that a job title alone cannot convey.
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For companies, this means more precise matches. Instead of searching for “former McKinsey consultant,” a client can ask: “Find me people who worked at a funded startup by A-grade investors solving for finance automation.” Ethos also indexes public sources like blogs, academic papers, and social links to further refine its matching algorithm.
Founding team combines consulting and AI research
Ethos was founded in 2024 by James Lo and Daniel Mankowitz. Lo previously worked at McKinsey and later at Softbank, where he contributed to the transformation of companies like WeWork and Arm. Mankowitz brings deep AI expertise from DeepMind, where he worked on YouTube’s video compression algorithm, Gemini, and the AlphaDev sorting algorithm.
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The two founders approached the problem from different angles. Lo wanted to create better economic and employment opportunities. Mankowitz viewed the economy as a knowledge graph of people, companies, and products — and believed the right algorithms could match them efficiently.
Why voice matters for expert discovery
Anish Acharya, a partner at a16z, explained why voice is central to Ethos’s approach: “I think voice is the original form of human communication. Most people don’t know how to write their story down in a very succinct, compelling, and accurate way. Voice is a big unlock for Ethos.”
Acharya noted that legacy platforms like LinkedIn and GLG only capture shallow signals through job titles, whereas Ethos’s voice interview process uncovers different sub-specializations that are invisible in traditional profiles.
Business model and growth
Ethos charges businesses a per-project fee of 30% or more, depending on the engagement. The company reports it is on track for “eight-figure annualized revenue,” though it did not disclose exact figures. It also declined to name its client base but said top hedge funds, private equity firms, leading AI labs, and enterprise consulting firms are already using the platform.
The expert network is growing rapidly: roughly 35,000 people join each week, with invitations sent to individuals Ethos believes can benefit from the platform. The company currently has eight employees and plans to keep its team compact while scaling.
Competition and market context
Startups like Listen Labs and Outset already offer conversational AI for interviews, providing some competition. However, Ethos believes its curated network of experts and voice-based data collection give it an edge for clients who need highly specific, verifiable expertise.
Lo also highlighted a tailwind from AI labs: “The AI labs are pointing a giant capital gun at every economically valuable occupation in the world. They’re trying to map out every profession. That’s an amazing tailwind for us.” These labs need experts across law, health, finance, and management to train models and validate product strategies.
Conclusion
Ethos’s $22.75 million raise signals growing investor confidence in AI-powered platforms that go beyond surface-level professional data. By combining voice onboarding with intelligent matching, the startup aims to solve a long-standing problem in expert networks: connecting companies with the right knowledge, not just the right job title.
FAQs
Q1: How does Ethos differ from LinkedIn or GLG?
Ethos uses voice-based AI interviews to capture deeper knowledge from experts, rather than relying solely on job titles or self-reported forms. This allows for more precise matching to complex client queries.
Q2: Who is using Ethos?
The company serves hedge funds, private equity firms, AI labs, and enterprise consulting firms. It does not disclose client names but says top organizations in these sectors are active on the platform.
Q3: How does Ethos make money?
Ethos charges businesses a per-project fee of 30% or more. The company reports it is on track for eight-figure annualized revenue.
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