Automattic Buys Clay to Boost Online Identity Tools
▼ Summary
– Automattic acquired Clay, a relationship-management app, adding to its portfolio of communication tools like Beeper and Texts.com, though financial terms were undisclosed.
– Clay, launched in 2021, functions as a smart address book or personal CRM, aggregating data from LinkedIn, Facebook, and other platforms to track contacts and updates.
– The app includes AI features like Nexus, which helps users query their network (e.g., finding contacts at a company) and integrates with daily workflows.
– Clay’s team, including co-founders Zachary Hamed and Matthew Achariam, will join Automattic’s Other Bets Division, with plans to integrate Clay into products like Beeper.
– Clay’s founders emphasized shared values with Automattic, such as open-source principles, and aim to expand integrations with technologies like ActivityPub and AT Protocol.
Automattic has expanded its portfolio of communication tools by acquiring Clay, a relationship management platform designed to streamline personal and professional connections. The purchase, finalized last week, follows Automattic’s recent acquisitions of messaging platforms Beeper and Texts.com. While financial details remain undisclosed, Clay had previously secured over $9 million in funding from prominent investors, including General Catalyst and Forerunner Ventures.
Launched in 2021, Clay functions as an intelligent address book, consolidating contact details, social updates, and calendar events from platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, WhatsApp, and X. Users can track key details about their network, job changes, relocations, or recent social posts, while adding personalized notes and reminders. The app also introduced an AI assistant called Nexus, which helps users navigate their network by answering questions like who they know at a specific company or who to meet during a trip.
Automattic plans to integrate Clay into its ecosystem, including Beeper, while keeping the app operational. Clay’s co-founders, Zachary Hamed and Matthew Achariam, will join Automattic’s Other Bets Division, which oversees experimental projects like Gravatar. Achariam emphasized their shared mission: “Our goal is to strengthen relationships through conscientious tools that unify relationship management in one platform.”
For Clay’s team, the acquisition ensures long-term development rather than shutdown, a common fate for similar startups. Hamed noted, “We’re excited about building something enduring beyond a single company.” Future plans may involve deeper integration with Beeper and positioning Clay as an identity layer for multiple tools, though specifics remain undecided.
Currently, Clay operates on a freemium model, with paid plans starting at $10/month for individuals and $40/month per seat for teams. Pricing adjustments post-acquisition haven’t been confirmed. The founders highlighted alignment with Automattic’s open-source ethos, expressing interest in integrating with decentralized protocols like ActivityPub (Mastodon) and AT Protocol (Bluesky).
Though user numbers weren’t disclosed, Clay manages over 150 million relationships across macOS, Windows, iOS, and web platforms. The acquisition underscores Automattic’s strategy to enhance digital identity and communication tools within its growing suite of services.
(Source: TechCrunch)
