Automattic Scoops Up Relationship Management Startup Clay

Automattic, the publisher of WordPress, has acquired relationship management startup Clay for an undisclosed amount, the companies announced on Thursday.

Clay has raised a total of $8 million in funding, per Crunchbase. The company raised that capital in a 2021 seed round led by Forerunner Ventures that also included participation from General Catalyst, Slow Ventures, Caffeinated Capital and Notation Capital.

Matthew Achariam and Zachary Hamed co-founded the New York-based company in 2019, and served as its co-CEOs. Clay’s offering has been described as “somewhat like a personal CRM.” Its relationship management tool is designed to “automatically organize and intelligently search your entire network.”

In a statement about the acquisition, Automattic said Clay’s offering “aligns perfectly” with Automattic’s mission of “making online experiences better for everyone.”

The company further added: “The platform offers unique value through AI-driven insights, comprehensive coverage, revolutionary search, instant notes and more, all designed to simplify the way we build and maintain relationships … By bringing Clay into the Automattic family, we can explore its relationship-focused approach and integrate it across our messaging ecosystem.”

Co-founders Hamed and Achariam will join Automattic’s Other Bets division, alongside Beeper and Gravatar — two other startups previously acquired by the company.

Over the years, Automattic has made more than two dozen acquisitions, according to Crunchbase data.

M&A activity seems to be picking up as of late. On June 11, fintech giant Stripe announced it was picking up crypto wallet provider Privy, a 4-year-old startup which had raised over $40 million in funding.

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Illustration: Dom Guzman