Draftboard

High-Level Overview

Draftboard is a technology company that builds a platform designed to revolutionize B2B sales and recruiting by leveraging warm introductions within professional networks. Its product automatically maps and scores the best paths through a user's network to their sales prospects, investors, founders, or candidates, enabling more effective and trusted warm intros without requiring others to join or upload data. This approach helps businesses accelerate growth by tapping into the power of human connections enhanced by AI, rather than relying on cold outreach or impersonal marketing tactics. Draftboard serves founders, sales leaders, recruiters, and companies looking to improve sales, fundraising, and talent acquisition through network-driven introductions. The company has demonstrated growth momentum by securing $4.1 million in funding and onboarding notable clients like SeatGeek and Via, while expanding its marketplace of referrers and companies[1][2][4].

Origin Story

Draftboard was founded with the insight that AI alone cannot replace the power of human connections, and that networks hold untapped potential for business growth. The idea emerged from the founder's experience at IAC, where challenges in talent acquisition highlighted the need for a better referral and introduction system. The founder, Roseman, leveraged his background in strategy and mergers and acquisitions to create a platform that harnesses referral bonuses and network effects to identify high-quality candidates and warm intros. Early traction came from recruiting and sales use cases, with the platform gaining support from a diverse group of users including recruiters, employees at tech startups, and independent referrers. The company is headquartered in Las Vegas and employs around ten people, with a multicultural team spanning multiple continents and languages[1][2][3].

Core Differentiators

• AI-Enhanced Network Mapping: Draftboard’s agent automatically maps and scores every path in a user's network to their targets, identifying the best warm introductions without requiring others to join or upload data.
• Human Connection Focus: Unlike cold outreach or automated spam, Draftboard emphasizes trusted, warm intros that leverage real relationships, which are more effective in sales and recruiting.
• Referral Bonus Marketplace: Companies can post referral bonuses accessible to a broad network of "scouts" who compete to find top candidates, incentivizing quality referrals and expanding reach.
• Reputation Scoring: Scouts are evaluated based on the quality of their referrals, ensuring that the platform maintains high standards and trustworthiness.
• No Barriers to Entry: Users do not need to download extensions or upload CSVs, making the platform easy to use and scalable.
• Diverse User Base: Includes recruiters, employees at major tech companies, independent referrers, and everyday professionals, creating a broad and dynamic referral ecosystem[1][2][4].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Draftboard rides the trend of leveraging AI to augment, not replace, human relationships in business development and talent acquisition. As cold outreach becomes less effective due to inbox saturation and noise, the timing is ideal for a platform that surfaces warm introductions from existing networks. Market forces such as the increasing importance of network-driven hiring, the rise of remote work, and the need for more efficient sales pipelines favor Draftboard’s approach. By democratizing access to referral bonuses and warm intros, Draftboard influences the broader ecosystem by making high-quality referrals accessible beyond traditional recruiting channels, thus expanding opportunities for both companies and individuals in the tech and startup landscape[1][2][4].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Draftboard is poised to grow by expanding both sides of its marketplace—companies seeking referrals and the network of scouts providing them. Future trends shaping its journey include continued AI advancements that improve network mapping, growing demand for authentic sales and recruiting methods, and increasing reliance on referral-driven hiring in competitive talent markets. As Draftboard scales, its influence may extend beyond tech startups to broader industries seeking efficient, human-centered introductions. The company’s focus on combining AI with human connection positions it well to redefine how businesses build pipelines and hire talent in an increasingly networked world[2][4].