What is Handshake?
Headquartered in San Francisco with a growing presence in Denver and London, Handshake operates as a comprehensive career network designed to streamline the transition from higher education to the workforce. The platform serves as a centralized hub where students, university career centers, and employers converge to manage recruitment workflows, job postings, and internship opportunities. By removing traditional barriers to entry—such as geographic location or institutional prestige—Handshake ensures that talent is identified based on merit and potential rather than legacy networks. Its market position is fortified by deep integrations with university systems, making it an indispensable tool for both academic institutions and corporate recruiters seeking to tap into diverse, high-potential talent pools.
How much funding has Handshake raised?
Handshake has raised a total of $430.5M across 6 funding rounds:
Series A
$10.5M
Series B
$20M
Series C
$40M
Series D
$80M
Series E
$80M
Series F
$200M
Series A (2016): $10.5M with participation from Annox Capital, True Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins, and Lowercase Capital
Series B (2016): $20M led by Kleiner Perkins, True Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Spark Capital
Series C (2018): $40M supported by Omidyar Network, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, EQT Ventures, and Reach Capital
Series D (2020): $80M featuring Kleiner Perkins, EQT Ventures, GGV Capital, Emerson Collective, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Spark Capital, True Ventures, and The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Series E (2021): $80M backed by Spark Capital, EQT, GGV Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Coatue, Valiant Peregrine Fund, Emerson Collective, True Ventures, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and Lightspeed Venture Partners
Series F (2022): $200M with participation from Base10 Advancement Initiative, Coatue, and Valiant Peregrine Fund
Key Investors in Handshake
Kleiner Perkins
Kleiner Perkins is a Menlo Park-based venture capital firm that raises dedicated funds and invests in early and growth-stage technology and life-science companies, backing founders across consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and climate/hard tech with capital and operational support from seed through IPO or acquisition.
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global multi-stage venture capital firm that raises dedicated funds and invests in early and growth-stage technology companies across sectors such as enterprise software, consumer, fintech, and infrastructure, partnering with founders from seed through IPO/M&A.
True Ventures
True Ventures is a founder-first venture capital firm that partners with creative teams at the earliest stages, providing capital, guidance and a strong community to help build enduring technology and artificial intelligence driven companies.
What's next for Handshake?
With the successful completion of its latest funding cycle, Handshake is well-positioned to transition into a phase of sustained enterprise expansion. The strategic focus will likely shift toward enhancing the platform's artificial intelligence capabilities to provide more personalized career guidance and predictive hiring analytics. Furthermore, the company is expected to deepen its investment in global infrastructure to support its international growth objectives. By leveraging its robust data set and extensive network, Handshake aims to redefine the standards of workforce mobility, ensuring that the platform remains the primary destination for the next generation of professionals navigating an increasingly complex and competitive global economy.
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