AskFora

High-Level Overview

AskFora is a Norwich, Vermont-based SaaS startup that builds an AI-driven skills-mapping platform to transform talent management in the Future of Work.[1][2][3] It automatically crawls public data from sources like LinkedIn, Twitter, certifications, and blogs to map skills across employees, candidates, and professional networks, enabling better talent sourcing, workforce planning, employee development, and internal mobility.[1][2] Serving executives, managers, HR professionals, and organizations of all sizes—especially small and medium-sized businesses—AskFora solves the challenge of opaque skills inventories by instantly creating baseline skills maps, refined via AI chatbot Fora, across 5+ million professionals and 250,000+ skills.[1][2] Key products include AskFora Teams, launched in 2023 for role matching and skills gap analysis, with $1.5M raised in angel/pre-seed funding from investors like Firsthand Alliance and Glasswing Ventures.[2]

Origin Story

AskFora was founded by Omer Trajman, a serial entrepreneur and former CEO of Rocana, which he sold prior to starting AskFora.[1] Post-exit, Trajman explored AI applications in underserved areas, drawing from his experience as a founder, CEO, and hiring manager frustrated by the difficulty of discovering hidden skills in professional networks beyond top-of-mind contacts.[1] The idea emerged around 2023 from Norwich, Vermont, as an innovative response to evolving talent markets, leading to the launch of core skills-mapping tech and AskFora Teams in September 2023.[1][2] Early traction included $1.5M in funding from VCs like Koa Labs and FreshTracks Capital, validating its AI-for-talent approach amid skills-based hiring shifts.[2]

Core Differentiators

• Instant Skills Mapping: Automatically builds comprehensive skills baselines from public data, eliminating manual efforts that overwhelm organizations shifting to skills-focused talent strategies.[1]
• AI-Powered Modules: Offers talent sourcing, workforce planning, learning/development tools, and role matching via Fora chatbot, optimizing internal mobility and external hiring.[1][2]
• Scalability for All Sizes: Tailored for SMBs with AskFora Teams, handling complex skills data for 5M+ professionals without requiring internal data uploads initially.[2]
• Data Breadth and Privacy Focus: Leverages vast public sources (LinkedIn, X, blogs) for a quarter-million skills, providing actionable insights while starting with external baselines.[1]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

AskFora rides the AI-for-HR and skills-based talent management trend, accelerated by rapid job evolution and the need for workforce agility post-pandemic.[1][2] Timing aligns with enterprises ditching resumes for skills ontologies, as 80%+ recognize the shift but lack starting points—AskFora's public-data automation fills this gap instantly.[1] Favorable market forces include exploding AI talent tools demand, SMB digitization, and investor interest in Future of Work plays, as seen in its quick funding.[2] It influences the ecosystem by democratizing skills intelligence, enabling upskilling, reducing recruiting costs, and boosting internal promotions, thus lowering churn in tight labor markets.[2][3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

AskFora is poised to expand its platform with deeper internal data integrations, advanced predictive analytics for skills forecasting, and enterprise features amid booming AI-HR adoption.[1][2] Trends like agentic AI and personalized L&D will amplify its edge, potentially scaling to multimillion-user datasets and global markets. Its influence may evolve from SMB disruptor to category leader, powering skills economies as hybrid work persists—transforming how we "work better with people you know," as its founder envisions.[1]