Reimagining Work

CHAPTER 6The Match GameWinter–Spring 2014

The opportunities for work on the Catalant platform are phenomenal. Every day there are easily a dozen new projects posted and they run the gamut: market research projects, financial projections, data analysis, and marketing, serious corporate strategy work. All kinds of intellectually challenging and rewarding projects.

—KARA YOKLEY, A STRATEGY AND DATA ANALYST FROM CHICAGO

Not long after announcing our Seed round in September 2013, we were hunted down by Dan Nova, an HBS class of 1991 graduate and veteran venture capital investor in Boston. Though we had just raised more money than we knew what to do with, Dan and his partners at Highland Capital were excited to get involved. Though we had grown slightly since the humble first‐year days prowling Harvard Square and its micro‐businesses, the company was still quite raw. The Highland folks, however, saw something special in the opportunity. We were flattered (if surprised) by their interest and quickly closed a few million dollars of additional funding, with Greylock Partners joining in the round as well. All of a sudden, we were a real, VC‐backed company!

With money in the till and a breeze in our sails, our focus was also beginning to change. The original idea for HourlyNerd had been predicated on harnessing the time of less‐experienced MBAs who'd be happy to pick up an extra 50 bucks an hour helping out small businesses with interesting projects. Initially, a prospective expert couldn't ...