Clockout raises $3.5M to help Gen Z build careers offline

What's the deal? ClockoutDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a networking app that connects users with nearby professionals, clubs, and events, has raised $3.5 million in total funding. The round was led by 114 VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with participation from Evite Ventures, Allied VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Sher Ventures, Gaingels, and BMPB VC. The company did not disclose its valuation.

What's the endgame? Founded by chief executive officer Krishna Dosapati, Clockout lets users browse professionals by work, interests, and mutual connections, then join communities and events nearby. Dosapati positions it between LinkedIn and Meetup, aiming to give users a reason to meet offline rather than just adding a digital contact.

Why now? Dosapati, 32, hit the problem herself after graduating from NYU and working in New York, where her existing network felt fixed and new connections hard to make. "I was like, if I faced this, how are younger people going to build their network, make friends and find a professional community?" she said.

By the numbers: Clockout went live in October 2024 and reached $1.1 million in annual recurring revenue within 10 months of launching monetisation, with over 600,000 downloads to date. It runs a freemium model, charging $99 a year for perks such as unlimited club and event access. In 2025, users sent nearly 400,000 invitations to join the platform.

The signal: Clockout is betting on a measurable shift. GallupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → found 29% of Americans aged 18 to 29 experienced significant daily loneliness in the second quarter of 2025, against 21% of adults overall. As return-to-office mandates tighten and run clubs surge, startups are racing to rebuild the offline social infrastructure younger workers say they lack.

Read more: fortune.com

Image credit: Generated with Gemini