Clay Raises Series C Round at $3 Billion Valuation, Led by CapitalG
Clay, a sales automation startup, has recently secured a Series C funding round with an estimated valuation of $3 billion. The round was led by CapitalG, as confirmed by sources familiar with the deal.
Despite attempts to reach out, both Clay and CapitalG have chosen not to comment on the funding round.
This latest investment comes shortly after Clay announced a secondary offering allowing its employees to sell shares at a valuation of $1.5 billion. The deal was spearheaded by Sequoia, with a commitment to purchase up to $20 million in employee stock.
While employees who sold shares at a lower valuation may appear to have missed out, Clay’s CEO, Kareem Amin, has expressed intentions to conduct annual tender offers, providing more opportunities for staff to sell at higher valuations in the future.
Founded in 2017, Clay underwent a strategic shift a few years later under Amin’s leadership, focusing on AI-driven solutions for sales and marketing professionals. The platform enables users to leverage AI for data discovery and automate sales strategies, such as generating customer lists and crafting personalized outreach emails.
Today, Clay serves a diverse clientele, including prominent companies like OpenAI, HubSpot, and Canva, as well as numerous small consulting agencies utilizing Clay for their marketing initiatives.
In a competitive landscape that includes players like ZoomInfo, Lusha, and Apollo.io, Clay stands out with its innovative approach to sales technology. Other emerging platforms like Unify and Common Room also pose as contenders in the market.
Apart from Sequoia, Clay’s existing investors comprise Meritech Capital, Boldstart Ventures, Maple VC, First Round Capital, and Box Group.