Sometimes, business isn’t just about money—it’s about the right people, the right vision, and the right values in alignment.
Six years ago, Brian Halligan, the co-founder and executive chairman of HubSpot, and I met at a Bain Capital Ventures event in Boston. I was 3,000 miles from home, but in Brian’s backyard.
For years, from opposite sides of the country, we kept in touch and tracked how each other’s companies grew. I’ve always appreciated that he’s a straight shooter. We’re both curious students of innovation devoted to creating value for our customers. We both love creating something from nothing, and making an impact on the world.
We have always wanted to do business together. Finally, that time has come.
Today, we are announcing that HubSpot has invested in Clari through HubSpot Ventures, and is partnering with us in a deal that exemplifies the power of the revenue operations movement, and is the latest example of the growing trend of corporate venture capital investment.
Corporate venture capital meets revenue operations
Over the past few years—even the past 12 months—corporate venture capital investments like HubSpot’s have risen dramatically. CB Insights reports such funds invested around $79 billion, just in the first half of 2021. As EY notes, investment by corporate venture capital units can accelerate growth for all parties involved.
Investments by corporate venture funds aren’t just about the money, but also about the business and thought partnerships they can foster as the growth of tech, especially SaaS, has made a major economic impact globally. Our relationship with HubSpot represents a shared vision for the future of revenue operations, and their support in this journey opens doors to new talent, new markets, and new R&D investments.
There’s a part I love from HubSpot’s mission statement: “There's this notion that to grow a business, you have to be ruthless. But we know there's a better way to grow. One where what's good for the bottom line is also good for customers.”
At Clari, one of our core values is “one with customers,” which means we have a customer-centered focus on meeting and supporting their needs, and making the customer experience central to our business. Again, this is where Hubspot and Clari align. And that’s not just in our corporate cultures.
Yamini Rangan, HubSpot’s CEO, was an early customer of Clari in her previous roles and her feedback helped us build our platform. She understands revenue is not just an outcome; it’s a business process. She’s the best kind of customer—one who deeply understands our value proposition, and we are honored to work with her again.
HubSpot + Clari = Remarkable
Clari offers the market-leading revenue operations platform that provides a new approach to transforming the sales process.
HubSpot’s investment in Clari marks the latest in our growing roster of investors. Obviously, we appreciate financial support. But as the list of Clari backers grows, it’s also a testament to the power of revenue operations. It’s a validation of all the work everyone at Clari has done over the years, and a bet that the future of growth lies with Clari.
HubSpot has supported the digital transformation of so many business verticals, and Clari is bringing digital transformation to sales teams everywhere—and I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together to bring revenue operations to every business.
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