Sales

Clay, a sales automation startup, raised funding at a $3B valuation

Ken Metral

13 Jun 2025 — 2 min read

Credit: Clay Labs, Inc.

Clay, a fast-growing sales automation startup, has raised a Series C funding round that values the company at approximately $3 billion, according to three sources familiar with the deal. The round was led by Capital G, Alphabet’s independent growth fund. Both Clay and Capital G declined to comment.

The New York-based startup’s new valuation comes just weeks after it facilitated a secondary share sale allowing employees to cash out stock at a significantly lower $1.5 billion valuation. That tender offer, led by Sequoia Capital, saw up to $20 million worth of shares purchased, giving employees partial liquidity ahead of the new round. Despite the now-obvious valuation gap, Clay’s co-founder and CEO Kareem Amin has stated plans to conduct annual tender offers, potentially giving early employees further upside in the future.

From Pivot to Powerhouse

Founded in 2017, Clay originally operated in a different space before pivoting to focus on AI-powered tools for sales and marketing professionals. Its platform enables users to discover prospects, enrich customer data, and send personalized outreach messages at scale — streamlining go-to-market operations that are typically manual and time-consuming.

The company has gained serious traction in recent years, counting thousands of customers among its users. Notable clients include OpenAI, HubSpot, and Canva, alongside over 100 boutique consulting agencies that specialize in go-to-market strategy.

Competitive Landscape

Clay operates in a crowded market, competing against entrenched players like ZoomInfo, Lusha, and Apollo.io, as well as newer platforms such as Unify and Common Room. Its differentiation lies in its ease of use, AI-powered personalization features, and the ability to quickly generate high-quality lead lists.

Backing and Future Plans

In addition to Capital G and Sequoia, Clay is backed by a strong syndicate of investors including Meritech Capital, Boldstart Ventures, Maple VC, First Round Capital, and Box Group. With fresh funding in hand, the company is expected to expand its product offerings, grow its team, and deepen its AI capabilities.

As Clay’s tools become more integral to modern sales workflows, the startup appears well-positioned to continue scaling — both in valuation and influence. And with plans for ongoing liquidity options, its employees may continue to benefit from that growth along the way.

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