Crunchbase

Crunchbase is a company-information and market-intelligence brand focused on startups, private companies, investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, executives, and related business activity. It began in 2007 as a supplementary database for tracking startups mentioned in TechCrunch articles. The project was founded by Michael Arrington and initially served as a practical research resource for the technology and venture-capital communities. In 2010, Crunchbase became part of AOL through AOL's acquisition of the TechCrunch network. During the AOL period, the database broadened beyond article-linked startups. In 2014, it added incubators and venture-capital partners, helping it evolve from a startup directory into a wider company and investment database. A significant legal and policy episode occurred in 2013, when AOL disputed Pro Populi's use of the complete Crunchbase dataset in applications. The dispute involved data that had been distributed under a Creative Commons attribution license. After intervention by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, AOL allowed Pro Populi to continue using the dataset, while future revisions were placed under a more restrictive noncommercial attribution license. A historical snapshot of the 2013 data remained available under the earlier license. Crunchbase separated from AOL, Verizon, and TechCrunch in 2015 after announcing $8.5 million in investment funding. In 2016, the company standardized its branding as Crunchbase and introduced Crunchbase Pro, its first major paid product. The service added advanced search, saved lists, alerts, and analytical tools for users evaluating companies and markets. In 2017, Crunchbase announced an $18 million Series B round led by Mayfield Fund and introduced Crunchbase Enterprise and Crunchbase for Applications. These products expanded the brand from individual research subscriptions into organization-wide intelligence and data-access services. The company continued to commercialize its information through subscriptions, application programming interfaces, data licensing, enrichment services, and integrations. Crunchbase Marketplace, launched in 2018, provided access to data and services from third-party providers. In 2019, the company announced a $30 million Series C led by OMERS Ventures. Over time, its data was used or licensed by professional and technology platforms, including LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Nasdaq, while integrations connected Crunchbase information with tools such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Outreach. Its present business model centers on proprietary company and funding data, predictive private-company intelligence, professional research workflows, and machine-readable access for business software. Core offerings include Crunchbase Pro, Crunchbase Business, the Crunchbase API, data enrichment, and data licensing. The platform combines company-submitted information, community contributions, automated collection, artificial intelligence, and live or continually updated business data. By the mid-2020s, Crunchbase reported a user base exceeding 80 million. In 2025, it announced integrations or distribution partnerships with Perplexity and Databricks, extending its data into enterprise search and data-marketplace environments.

Crunchbase originated in 2007 as a project created by Michael Arrington to maintain a structured record of startups appearing in TechCrunch coverage. Its early value came from organizing otherwise scattered information about emerging technology companies, their founders, financing, and investors. The database gradually became useful beyond journalism, particularly for venture investors, founders, analysts, recruiters, and business-development teams. AOL acquired Crunchbase in September 2010 as part of its acquisition of the TechCrunch network. During its association with AOL and TechCrunch, the database expanded its coverage and became a more independent information resource. In 2013, AOL became involved in a dispute with Pro Populi, whose applications used the complete Crunchbase dataset. The dispute centered on the scope of the Creative Commons attribution license under which the data had been distributed. Following representation of Pro Populi by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, AOL allowed continued use of the dataset but changed the license for future revisions to a noncommercial attribution model. The 2013 snapshot retained its earlier attribution licensing. Crunchbase added incubators and venture-capital partners in 2014, broadening its subject coverage from startups to the institutions and financial actors around them. In 2015, it became independent from AOL, Verizon, and TechCrunch after raising $8.5 million. The company then pursued a dedicated software and data-business strategy. In 2016, it adopted the Crunchbase name and launched Crunchbase Pro, introducing paid research capabilities such as advanced filters, monitoring, and analysis. In 2017, an $18 million Series B led by Mayfield Fund supported further product development, including Crunchbase Enterprise and Crunchbase for Applications. The company expanded its commercial model in 2018 with Crunchbase Marketplace, which offered subscriptions to third-party data and services. A $30 million Series C led by OMERS Ventures followed in 2019. Over subsequent years, Crunchbase developed licensing arrangements and integrations that placed its information inside professional databases, customer-relationship systems, sales tools, and enterprise workflows. The brand's role consequently shifted from a searchable startup directory toward a data infrastructure and intelligence provider. Crunchbase's information is assembled through a combination of company and community contributions, automated processes, artificial intelligence, and live business data. Its coverage includes company profiles, funding, investors, acquisitions, executives, industries, locations, and other indicators used to evaluate private businesses. The company has also developed predictive private-company intelligence and data-enrichment products. Its principal commercial offerings include Crunchbase Pro for individual and professional research, Crunchbase Business for teams, the Crunchbase API, enrichment services, and data licensing. In the mid-2020s, the platform reported more than 80 million users. Partnerships with Perplexity and Databricks in 2025 extended Crunchbase information into enterprise search and cloud data-marketplace workflows. A cyberattack reported in January 2026 was allegedly claimed by ShinyHunters, which said it had taken more than two million records containing personal information. The claim and the reported scope should be treated as a matter requiring independent confirmation.

• 2019

  Series C financing

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Crunchbase announces a $30 million Series C led by OMERS Ventures.

• 2018

  Crunchbase Marketplace launches

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduces a marketplace for third-party data subscriptions.

• 2017

  Series B and enterprise expansion

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Crunchbase announces an $18 million Mayfield-led Series B and launches enterprise-oriented products.

• 2016

  Crunchbase Pro launches

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Crunchbase adopts its current styling and launches its first major paid subscription product.

• 2015

  Crunchbase becomes independent

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  The company separates from AOL, Verizon, and TechCrunch and announces $8.5 million in funding.

• 2014

  Coverage expands to incubators and venture partners

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Crunchbase adds incubators and venture-capital partners to its database.

• 2013

  Dataset licensing dispute with Pro Populi

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  A dispute over use of the complete Crunchbase dataset leads to continued access for Pro Populi and a later licensing change for new revisions.

• 2010

  AOL acquires Crunchbase through the TechCrunch transaction

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Crunchbase becomes part of AOL when AOL acquires the TechCrunch network.

• 2007

  Crunchbase is founded

  [1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Michael Arrington establishes Crunchbase as a database supporting TechCrunch's coverage of startups.

A continuously updated company-intelligence and private-market data platform for investors, sales teams, researchers, recruiters, founders, analysts, and enterprise software users.

• Subscription research platform · 2016

  Crunchbase Pro

  Crunchbase Pro is a paid research service for discovering and monitoring companies, investors, funding activity, and markets. It adds advanced search filters, analytical views, saved lists, and alerts to the platform's underlying company database. The product is designed for investors, analysts, founders, recruiters, and business-development professionals who need repeatable workflows rather than one-off profile lookups.

• Enterprise software and data

  Crunchbase Business

  Crunchbase Business provides team-oriented access to company and market intelligence. Its capabilities include data export, collaboration features, CRM connectivity, and access to programmatic data services. It is positioned for organizations using Crunchbase information in prospecting, account research, market mapping, recruiting, and investment workflows.

• API and developer data service

  Crunchbase API

  The Crunchbase API provides structured access to company, funding, investor, and related business information for software applications and internal systems. It supports organizations that want to incorporate Crunchbase data into products, research environments, sales systems, or analytical pipelines rather than rely solely on the web interface.

• Data enrichment

  Crunchbase Data Enrichment

  Data enrichment services add Crunchbase company information and predictive signals to records held in other business systems. The offering is intended to improve account identification, segmentation, lead qualification, market analysis, and workflow automation by supplementing existing customer or prospect records.

• Licensed business data

  Crunchbase Data Licensing

  Crunchbase licenses proprietary company, funding, and predictive intelligence to external platforms and organizations. Licensing enables partners to embed or analyze Crunchbase information in professional software, enterprise applications, research tools, and data products.

• Data marketplace · 2018

  Crunchbase Marketplace

  Crunchbase Marketplace provides access to subscriptions and services from third-party data providers. It extends the platform beyond Crunchbase's own database by giving users a centralized route to complementary business-information resources.

• 2026

  Alleged ShinyHunters cyberattack

  Crunchbase was reported as a target of a cyberattack allegedly claimed by ShinyHunters. The group claimed theft of more than two million records containing personal information. The incident's details and scope require verification.

  Source

• 2013

  Pro Populi dataset licensing dispute

  AOL disputed Pro Populi's use of the complete Crunchbase dataset in applications, despite the dataset having been distributed under a Creative Commons attribution license. After Electronic Frontier Foundation involvement, AOL allowed Pro Populi to continue using the data and adopted a noncommercial attribution license for later revisions.

  Source

Read more

• 2018

  Create a third-party data marketplaceStrategy

  Background

  Crunchbase was expanding from a company directory into a broader business-information ecosystem.

  Action taken

  The company launched Crunchbase Marketplace for subscriptions to third-party data.

  Aftermath

  The marketplace added complementary information sources to Crunchbase's own products and licensing model.

  Source

• 2017

  Expand into enterprise productsProduct launch

  Background

  Professional users increasingly needed organization-wide access and application-level use of company intelligence.

  Action taken

  Crunchbase launched Crunchbase Enterprise and Crunchbase for Applications while announcing a Mayfield-led Series B.

  Aftermath

  The company broadened its focus from individual subscriptions toward enterprise workflows and embedded data.

  Series B financing. $18 million (2017)

  Source

• 2016

  Launch Crunchbase ProProduct launch

  Background

  The company sought to monetize its company and funding database through professional research tools.

  Action taken

  Crunchbase introduced Crunchbase Pro with advanced searches, monitoring, and analytical capabilities.

  Aftermath

  The launch established a paid subscription layer alongside the public-facing database.

  Source

• 2015

  Separate from AOL and pursue an independent data businessStrategy

  Background

  Crunchbase had operated within the AOL and TechCrunch structure since 2010.

  Action taken

  The company became independent from AOL, Verizon, and TechCrunch and announced new investment funding.

  Aftermath

  The separation enabled Crunchbase to develop its own subscription, enterprise, licensing, and API businesses.

  Investment funding announced. $8.5 million (2015)

  Source

• 2025

  Crunchbase partners with Perplexity[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Crunchbase made firmographic and funding information available within Perplexity Enterprise Pro.

• 2025

  Crunchbase partners with Databricks[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Crunchbase made predictive private-company intelligence available through the Databricks Marketplace.

• 2019

  Crunchbase announces Series C financing[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Crunchbase announced a $30 million Series C financing round led by OMERS Ventures.

• 2018

  Crunchbase launches Marketplace[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Crunchbase introduced a marketplace for subscriptions to data and services supplied by third parties.

• 2017

  Crunchbase announces Series B and expands its product range[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Crunchbase announced an $18 million Series B led by Mayfield Fund and launched Crunchbase Enterprise and Crunchbase for Applications.

• 2016

  Crunchbase launches Crunchbase Pro and adopts standardized branding[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company changed its public branding from CrunchBase to Crunchbase and introduced Crunchbase Pro as its first major paid product.

• 2015

  Crunchbase separates from AOL and raises investment funding[1]Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Crunchbase became an independent company after separating from AOL, Verizon, and TechCrunch, and announced $8.5 million in investment funding.

1. 1Crunchbaseen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Crunchbase official websitecrunchbase.com
3. 3A Chinese AI company just connected its model to Wall Street's leading data providerscnbc.com