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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 ], ], ], ] and others due to both public interest in former ] CEO Williams and the launch of a tech startup backed by prominent venture capital firms. | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
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