Hona

About Hona

Hona, founded in 2021 by Manny Griffiths, Matt McClellan, and Joshua Christensen, operates a client experience platform specifically designed for law firms. The company, which is a graduate of the Y Combinator Winter 2023 batch, aims to address the common communication gaps between legal professionals and their clients. The idea for Hona originated from CEO Manny Griffiths' personal negative experience with legal communication during a family matter, which inspired him to create a "Domino's pizza tracker for legal cases". His background in B2B SaaS sales for a legal tech company provided him with direct insight into the market's need for such a solution.

The company's core offering is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that automates and centralizes communication, aiming to enhance transparency and client satisfaction. Hona's platform provides a white-label client portal that law firms can brand as their own. This portal features a visual case tracker, allowing clients to monitor the progress of their case in real-time, much like tracking a package. The system integrates with existing case management systems (CMS) and CRMs used by law firms, such as Clio and MyCase, to automatically pull case information and provide updates. This automation helps reduce repetitive administrative tasks and frequent update requests via phone and email, saving legal teams an average of 30 hours per month.

Hona's business model is centered on B2B subscriptions, primarily targeting small to medium-sized law firms specializing in personal injury, immigration, criminal defense, and bankruptcy. In addition to case tracking, the platform includes features for secure document uploading, direct messaging with the legal team, and tools for gathering client feedback and generating positive online reviews. More recently, the company introduced an AI-powered voice assistant and webchat to handle lead capture and initial client intake 24/7. To date, Hona has secured $11.7 million in total funding over two rounds. This includes a Seed round from Y Combinator in 2023 and a $9.5 million Series A round in 2024 led by Costanoa Ventures, with participation from Ludlow Ventures and Soma Capital.