The Expert Marketplace
Today's featured startup is trying to be the all-stop-shop for experts of all sort.
Project Overview
Ethos is a marketplace that allows users to quickly find an expert in a specific field to solve a particular task.
The platform helps users:
Get consultations on markets, technologies, investments, or corporate governance.
Conduct expert surveys or find a speaker for a conference.
Invite top managers for part-time roles, board positions, or even full-time employment.
The search process is simple: the client formulates a request in plain language, and within minutes, the system provides a shortlist of the most suitable experts. The client then reviews their profiles and sends a request for an online consultation.
Expert profiles remain anonymous, containing only verified qualifications without revealing personal identities. While the platform automatically generates these profiles, experts can request modifications.
Ethos earns revenue through commissions on consultations, and for an additional $199 per month, clients gain access to call transcripts, a company database, and integration with corporate systems.
Currently, Ethos serves 25 leading investment and consulting firms. The startup recently secured $3.25 million in funding and plans to expand.
What’s the Gist?
At first glance, the idea might seem questionable—after all, self-proclaimed “experts” are everywhere. Many people equate expertise with loud self-promotion or an impressive-looking résumé.
Ethos is designed to tackle this exact issue. As the company states, “Expertise cannot be measured solely by résumés or social media followings.”
The platform’s AI scans and analyzes diverse sources—from academic publications and GitHub repositories to portfolios and blogs. Based on this data, the system builds an “industry graph,” identifying the real experience and influence of each expert.
As a result, Ethos doesn’t just list people with the right job titles—it selects the 10 most truly qualified experts in a given field.
Interestingly, a similar approach is used by another startup, Beatrust, which raised $9.1 million. Beatrust helps employees within large companies find internal experts by analyzing corporate documents and reports. This addresses the challenge where employees struggle to locate in-house specialists and end up hiring external consultants instead.
Key Takeaways
How do we find genuine experts rather than those who simply market themselves best? The rise of social media and personal branding has distorted perceptions of expertise. However, true expertise still leaves digital footprints—they’re just harder to spot.
AI can analyze these footprints, enabling platforms to objectively assess expertise.
This approach is already being applied in various fields. For example, Verata, a Y Combinator graduate, helps private equity funds find top executives. Its AI assesses company revenue growth under different leaders and suggests only those who have demonstrably driven success.
Where else could this model be applied? One possibility is sales consulting—AI could track whether a consultant’s clients actually increased their revenue. Another is executive coaching—analyzing career progression after coaching programs.
That said, if such platforms gain traction, many so-called “experts” may disappear from the market. The key is to target fields where genuine specialists exist—and where companies are willing to pay to find them.
Company info
Ethos
Website: askethos.com
Latest Round: $3.25M, March 27, 2025
Total Funding: $3.25M, 1 round