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| {{User sandbox}} | |||
| {{Infobox dot-com company | |||
| |company_name = Pro.com | |||
| |company_logo = | |||
| |company_type = Private | |||
| |founder = ] | |||
| |location_city = ], ] | |||
| |area_served = United States | |||
| |key_people = ] | |||
| |num_employees = 20 | |||
| |url = {{URL|http://www.pro.com/}} | |||
| |launch_date = May 2014 | |||
| |current_status = Active | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Pro.com''' is an American ]-funded ] based in ] that provides real-time estimates for home improvements and repairs, directly connecting customers to qualified contractors.<ref name="BusinessInsider">{{cite news | url=http://www.businessinsider.com/pro-home-projects-matt-williams-ex-amazon-2014-5 | title=A Pack Of Ex-Amazon Employees Want To Make Your Next Home Improvement Project A Breeze | work=Business Insider }}</ref> Founded by former Amazon executive and Digg.com CEO ], the company launched a beta product nationally in May 2014 with $3.5 million in seed funding.<ref name="BusinessInsider" /> | |||
| ==History== | |||
| During his years at ], Williams was intrigued by ways that Amazon's consumer-centric model could be extended from products to local services.<ref name="TechCrunch">{{cite news | url=http://techcrunch.com/2014/05/13/pro-com/ | title=Former Digg CEO Matt Williams Launches Pro.com To Connect Homeowners With Nearby Contractors | work=TechCrunch.com }}</ref> He returned later to the idea of an 'Amazon for local services' while an entrepreneur-in-residence at venture capital firm ].<ref name="TechCrunch" /> In 2013 Williams launched SeattleHomePro.com from a former ] building in the ] neighborhood of ].<ref name="GeekWire">{{cite news | url=http://www.geekwire.com/2014/former-digg-ceo-raises-3-5m-jeff-bezos-andreessen-horowitz-others-pro-com-new-way-get-price-estimates-home-projects/ | title=Ex-Digg CEO raises $3.5M from Jeff Bezos, Andreessen Horowitz and others for Pro.com, giving you price estimates for home projects | work=GeekWire.com }}</ref> For six months Williams and 30 employees (many of whom formerly worked at Amazon)<ref name="BusinessInsider" /> collected consumer insights and refined their product and business model.<ref name="GeekWire" /> In May 2014 Williams launched nationally, rebranding the site as Pro.com and expanding services into additional cities.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/05/13/pro-matt-williams-digg-amazon-home-maintenance-market/8998041/ | title=Pro.com wants to make home repairs easier for consumers | work=USA Today }}</ref> | |||
| ==Financials== | |||
| Pro.com's investors include Madrona Venture Group, ], ], ] (Amazon.com founder ]' venture capital firm), Two-Sigma Ventures, and Sherpa Foundry.<ref name="recode">{{cite news | url=http://recode.net/2014/05/13/from-former-amazon-execs-pro-com-tells-you-how-much-that-home-project-will-cost/ | title=From Former Amazon Execs, Pro.com Tells You How Much That Home Project Will Cost | work=recode.com }}</ref> Prior to launch, the company has raised $3.5 million in seed funding, with additional rounds likely to follow.<ref name="TechCrunch" /> | |||
| ==Business Model== | |||
| Pro.com consumers input home improvement projects and are connected to a curated list of professional contractors with a real-time estimate, or 'prestimate', of the project's cost based on location and other details provided. The service is free to consumers; Pro.com receives a commission from contractors receiving business through the service. In the Seattle area only, users can contact and schedule a contractor directly through the site, a service planned to extend to additional cities. | |||
| Competitors include Angie’s List, HomeAdvisor, Yelp, Seattle startup Porch.com and others.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://venturebeat.com/2014/05/13/matt-williams-from-digg-ceo-to-venture-backed-home-improvement-startup-founder/ | title=Matt Williams: From Digg CEO to venture-backed home improvement startup founder | work=Venture Beat }}</ref> | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| Pro.com's May 2014 launch was covered by numerous publications including USA Today, Business Insider, TechCrunch, Yahoo! and others due to both public interest in former Digg.com CEO Williams and the launch of a tech startup backed by prominent venture capital firms. | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
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