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Clearword is a Cork, Ireland-based technology company that develops an artificial intelligence-powered meeting assistant designed to automatically transcribe discussions, generate summaries, and create action items from online video calls. The platform integrates directly with major enterprise video conferencing software, including Zoom and Google Meet, to convert live workplace conversations into a searchable video library and actionable knowledge base. Operating on a freemium software as a service business model, the application primarily targets digital agencies and hybrid remote corporate teams seeking to streamline administrative workflows and draft automated follow-up emails. To support its initial platform development, the enterprise secured $3.25 million in seed funding from early stage venture capital investors. Despite this financial backing and its suite of productivity tools, recent industry reports indicate that the company has announced the closure of its operations. Clearword was established in 2021.
Clearword has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round.
Clearword has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Clearword has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in January 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2022 | $4M Seed | — | 2.12 Angels, AIR Street Capital, Jamison Hill, Btov Partners, Connect Ventures, Dawn Capital, Embedded Capital, Extantia Capital, Frontline Ventures, Hyper, LocalGlobe, Look UP Ventures, Mexpand Family Office, Passion Capital, Point Nine Capital, Seedcamp, Storm Ventures, Y Combinator, Alexander Ljung, Arthur Kosten, Chris Murphy, Christian Bach, David Rosenberg, Fredrik Björk, Harsh Sinha, IAN Hogarth, JAN Deepen, Janis Krums, Leonard Picardo, Märt Kelder, Mathias Biilmann Christensen, Michael Pennington, Othman Laraki, Stefan Jeschonnek, Tony Jamous, Victor Jacobsson, Vinay Hiremath | Announced |
Clearword is an AI-powered platform that automates meeting note-taking, transcription, action item extraction, and organization to boost productivity in remote and hybrid work environments. It serves businesses from small teams to enterprises by integrating with tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, solving the frustration of disjointed online meetings through real-time assistance, searchable libraries, and lifecycle management (planning, during, and post-meeting).[1][2][4][5]
The company operates on a subscription-based model, offering searchable digital records via NLP and speech recognition, with potential premium features and CRM integrations. Clearword raised $3.25M in seed funding in early 2025, led by Connect Ventures with participation from Act Venture Capital, Hello World, Unpopular Ventures, and angels like Oyster CEO Tony Jamous, fueling platform development amid growing demand for AI meeting tools.[1][2]
Clearword was founded in 2024 in Cork, Ireland, by David Coallier, Daire Irwin, and Clodagh Monks (also CFO), who previously collaborated at analytics startup Barricade, acquired by Sophos in 2016. The idea stemmed from the "disjointed and frustrating" modern meeting experience—struggles with recalling topics or catching up on missed sessions—prompting them to unify the meeting lifecycle with AI.[2]
Early traction included selective investor outreach for "product-driven" backers fully aligned with their vision, culminating in a $3.25M seed round announced January 13, 2025. They also launched a remote work podcast on productivity and leadership, building community while developing the platform.[2]
Clearword rides the AI productivity wave in remote/hybrid work, addressing post-pandemic pain points like meeting overload amid tools proliferation. Timing aligns with generative AI adoption for real-time collaboration, as enterprises seek efficiency in fragmented ecosystems (e.g., Zoom fatigue).[1][2][3][5]
Market forces favor it: surging demand for meeting AI (projected multi-billion market), integrations with dominant platforms, and investor interest in European deep tech. Clearword influences the ecosystem by humanizing remote work via podcasts and selective funding partnerships, potentially setting standards for intuitive, non-intrusive assistants.[2]
Clearword's shutdown announcement on its site signals a pivot or closure, likely due to competitive pressures from incumbents like Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai, despite strong seed funding and product-market fit in AI meetings.[4] Next steps may involve asset sales, team dispersal to bigger players, or a stealth relaunch, shaped by maturing AI tools and economic caution in startups.
Its legacy underscores rapid innovation in meeting tech, but survival hinges on differentiation in a crowded field—watch for founders' next moves in Cork's startup scene, tying back to their Barricade-honed grit.[1][2][4]
Clearword has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Clearword's investors include 2.12 Angels, Air Street Capital, Jamison Hill, btov Partners, Connect Ventures, Dawn Capital, Embedded Capital, Extantia Capital, Frontline Ventures, Hyper, LocalGlobe, Look Up Ventures.
