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Glassdoor
Glassdoor is the employer-review and job-search platform founded in 2007 by Robert Hohman, Rich Barton, and Tim Besse.
Glassdoor
Glassdoor was founded in 2007 by Robert Hohman, Rich Barton, and Tim Besse. Hohman and Barton had previously built Expedia and Zillow. The company broke ground by letting workers post salary and review data anonymously, creating a public database of employer reputations. The firm generates revenue through employer-brand subscriptions, job-postings, and recruiting software sold to HR departments. Its platform covers over one million employers globally, with a user base exceeding 55 million monthly visitors. Glassdoor has expanded into AI-driven salary estimates and employer-review summarization. Glassdoor has raised over $200 million in venture capital from investors including Battery Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, and Tiger Global. The company maintains offices in Mill Valley (HQ), Menlo Park, Seattle, and Vancouver. In 2018, Glassdoor acquired the networking platform Muster to enhance employer-brand tools. Glassdoor operates as a for-profit corporation, not a family office or investment vehicle. Its structure is distinct: a technology platform balancing free consumer access with enterprise subscriptions, a model rare among evaluation databases.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
2007
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Mill Valley
Corporate office
Mill Valley, CA, United States
Additional offices
Menlo Park, CA · Seattle, WA · Vancouver, Canada
Principals
Robert Hohman
Co-Founder
Rich Barton
Co-Founder
Tim Besse
Co-Founder
Christian Sutherland-Wong
Chief Executive Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Glassdoor?
Glassdoor is led by CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong, who succeeded Robert Hohman in 2021. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Recruit Holdings, a Japanese HR-technology conglomerate, so strategic and investment decisions reside with Recruit's corporate leadership.
Is Glassdoor structured as a family office or investment vehicle?
No. Glassdoor is a for-profit technology corporation that operates a consumer-facing employer-review and job-search platform. It is not a family office, asset manager, or investment fund.
How does Glassdoor generate revenue?
Glassdoor sells employer-brand subscriptions, job-postings, and recruiting-software licenses to HR teams. Its free user-facing side is supported by this enterprise revenue.
What investment stages does Glassdoor typically target?
Glassdoor does not invest in external companies. It acquires technology firms to improve its platform, such as the 2018 purchase of Muster. All M&A is handled by parent Recruit Holdings.
Does Glassdoor participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Glassdoor is not an investment entity. It does not make fund commitments or direct equity investments in outside companies.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Glassdoor was founded by Robert Hohman, Rich Barton, and Tim Besse. The company was acquired by Recruit Holdings for $1.2 billion in 2022, creating liquidity for the founders and investors. Founders' personal wealth derived primarily from this exit.
Is Glassdoor still an independent company?
No. Glassdoor has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Recruit Holdings — a Japanese publicly traded company — since May 2022. Recruit also operates Indeed, the job-search engine.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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