What is Applause?
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Framingham, MA, Applause Inc. operates as a crowd testing company, providing a platform that enables software testers to earn income by testing applications. The company has established itself as a key facilitator in the quality assurance process, leveraging a global network of testers to deliver comprehensive feedback and identify bugs across various software platforms. This model allows businesses to accelerate their development cycles and enhance product quality through real-world user feedback.
How much funding has Applause raised?
Applause has raised a total of $100.3M across 7 funding rounds:
Other Financing Round
$500K
Series A
$2.2M
Series B
$5M
Series C
$13M
Series D
$1.5M
Series E
$43M
Series F
$35.1M
Other Financing Round (2006): $500K with participation from MassVentures
Series A (2008): $2.2M led by Mass Ventures and Mesco, Ltd.
Series B (2008): $5M supported by Longworth Venture Partners, MassVentures, and Egan-Managed Capital
Series C (2009): $13M featuring BA Venture Partners, Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation, Mesco, Ltd., Longworth Venture Partners, and Egan-Managed Capital
Series D (2011): $1.5M backed by Longworth Venture Partners, Egan-Managed Capital, QuestMark Partners, BA Venture Partners, Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation, and Mesco, Ltd.
Series E (2014): $43M with participation from Goldman Sachs, QuestMark Partners, BA Venture Partners, Mass Ventures, Mesco, Ltd., Longworth Venture Partners, and Egan-Managed Capital
Series F (2016): $35.1M led by Goldman Sachs, QuestMark Partners, BA Venture Partners, Mesco Ltd, Long worth Venture Partners, Credit Suisse, Accenture, and MassVentures
Key Investors in Applause
BA Venture Partners
BA Venture Partners is an investment firm that participates in various funding rounds, contributing capital to support company growth and expansion.
Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation
Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation is a venture capital firm focused on supporting technology companies, likely specializing in early-stage and growth-stage investments within Massachusetts.
Mesco, Ltd.
Mesco, Ltd. is an entity involved in steel production and related industries, indicating a diversified investment portfolio that may extend to technology sectors.
What's next for Applause?
With the recent injection of major strategic capital, Applause is poised to further solidify its market leadership. The company's focus is likely to be on enhancing its platform capabilities, expanding its global tester network, and potentially exploring new verticals within the digital product testing ecosystem. This funding round signals strong investor confidence in Applause's business model and its ability to adapt to the evolving demands of the software development industry, suggesting a trajectory towards scaling operations and deepening its market penetration.
See full Applause company page