Table of Contents
Clado: AI-Powered People Search Platform
Clado is a revolutionary AI-powered people search platform that provides access to over 200 million global profiles through advanced agentic search technology. The platform enables users to find and connect with professionals for sales, hiring, networking, and business development purposes by using natural language queries instead of traditional keyword-based filtering systems.Description Rewrite
Clado is an AI-driven people search and research platform that leverages over 100,000 intelligent agents to filter through more than 200 million profiles worldwide. The platform provides state-of-the-art email and phone number enrichment services, delivering superior contact accuracy compared to competitors. Users can perform natural language searches to find professionals for sales prospecting, recruitment, alumni networking, and business development, with the platform excelling in contact data enrichment and delivering results that feel personalized and highly relevant rather than random matches.Deep Service Report
Clado represents a significant advancement in people search technology, moving beyond traditional keyword-based filtering to implement agentic AI search capabilities. The platform was founded in 2024 and gained acceptance into Y Combinator’s X25 batch, demonstrating strong investor confidence in its innovative approach.The core technology deploys over 100,000 AI agents that read, reason, and rank people based on specific user requirements. This approach allows for complex queries that would be time-consuming or impossible with conventional filtering tools. For example, users can search for “AI Engineers interested in biology in Copenhagen” or “Every exec at accounting firms in the US and UK between 250-2000 employees.”
The platform initially focused on alumni networks, mapping complete alumni networks for over 2,000 colleges and universities in the United States with plans for global expansion. This strategic starting point leverages one of the most powerful and underutilized professional networking assets.
Since launch, Clado has achieved significant traction with over 80,000 users and has begun working with businesses to generate curated lists of 100,000+ people. The platform recently transitioned to a freemium model, offering three free searches and contact enrichments upon signup to accommodate increased demand.
The platform’s standout feature is its state-of-the-art contact enrichment capabilities. Internal benchmarks demonstrate that Clado’s email enrichment engine performs 17.6% better than Clay and 3x better than Apollo when tested on randomly selected LinkedIn URLs. This superior performance in contact data accuracy represents a significant competitive advantage in the market.
Country
United States (headquartered in San Francisco, California)Pros & Cons
Pros
- Access to an extensive database of over 200 million profiles with continuous growth
- Superior AI-powered search using natural language queries instead of complex filters
- State-of-the-art email and phone enrichment with verified superior performance
- Free tier available with three searches and contact enrichments included
- Strong focus on alumni networks and professional connections
- Backed by Y Combinator, indicating strong validation and potential for growth
- User-friendly interface that simplifies complex people searches
- Versatile applications across sales, hiring, networking, and business development
Cons
- Relatively new platform (founded 2024) with potentially limited track record
- Limited public information about enterprise pricing and advanced features
- Platform accuracy depends on data source quality and frequency of updates
- May face data privacy and compliance challenges as it scales globally
- Competition from established players like Apollo and Clay with larger market presence
Pricing
Clado currently operates on a freemium model with the following structure:Free Tier:
- 3 free searches per user upon signup
- 3 free contact enrichments included
- No subscription required for basic access
Paid Plans:
- Specific pricing details for premium tiers are not publicly disclosed
- Enterprise solutions available for businesses requiring large-scale people search
- Custom pricing likely available for organizations needing 100,000+ people lists
The platform recently made the decision to offer free access due to previous compute limitations that required restricting usage to paying users only.
Competitor Comparison
| Feature | Clado | Apollo | Clay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database Size | 200+ million profiles | 275+ million contacts | 100+ data providers |
| Pricing (Starting) | Free (3 searches) | \$49/month | \$149/month |
| Email Enrichment | 17.6% better than Clay, 3x better than Apollo | Standard industry rates | Standard industry rates |
| Search Method | AI agentic search with natural language | Filter-based with keywords | Filter-based with data enrichment |
| Free Tier | 3 searches + enrichments | 50 credits, 5 mobile credits | 100 credits |
| AI Integration | 100,000+ AI agents | Basic AI features | AI message drafting (Claygent) |
| Specialization | People search and alumni networks | Full sales platform | Data enrichment and automation |
| Founded | 2024 | 2015 | 2021 |
Team Members
- Tom Zheng – Co-Founder
- Eric Mao – Co-Founder
Team Members About
- Tom Zheng is a co-founder of Clado and a current student at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), studying Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with a 4.0 GPA. He is currently on leave from UCSD to participate in Y Combinator’s X25 batch. Tom previously served as an advisor to SDx at UC San Diego, where he helped raise the profile of builders, creatives, and founders at the university, hosting events with companies like Groq and Perplexity. He attended Crescent School for high school and was Co-Lead of the Physics Education Research Group. Tom has professional working proficiency in French and native-level English skills. He has received recognition including the Best Research Poster award at the International Conference for Climate Change 2024.
- Eric Mao is a co-founder of Clado and a student in the prestigious Jerome Fisher Program in Management \& Technology (M\&T) at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies both Computer Science at the School of Engineering and Business at the Wharton School. He is currently on leave to participate in Y Combinator’s X25 batch. Eric is also a Z Fellow and previously worked as a fellow at Telora, where he developed Iris, a file management system for video editors. He holds a patent for “Electroencephalography Detection for Applications in Mind Control Wheelchairs” issued in May 2021. Like Tom, he attended Crescent School and received the Best Research Poster award at the International Conference on Climate Change in February 2024. Eric also participated in the International Young Physicists’ Tournament representing Team Canada.
Both founders met during elementary school and have a history of collaboration, including founding a nonprofit organization together and winning Canada’s largest data science and physics competitions. Their shared experiences include sailing over 300 nautical miles in 10 days, canoeing 100km over 6 days, and traveling to Sri Lanka on three days’ notice to present at a conference together.
Team Members SNS Links
Tom Zheng:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toomzheng
- Email: tom [at] linkd [dot] inc
Eric Mao:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-mao
- Email: ericmao0606@gmail.com
Company:
- Contact: founders@clado.ai
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clado-ai
- Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/clado