Hone is a technology company that provides a live learning platform for organizations to deliver scalable training in leadership, management, and people skills.[1][2][3] It serves HR and Learning & Development teams at high-growth companies like GoFundMe, ServiceNow, and Rover, solving the challenge of upskilling employees in soft skills through live cohort-based programs, AI-powered coaching, research-backed curricula, and measurable impact data.[1][2][5] With over 100 live online classes, Hone has trained thousands of learners across 58+ countries, blending human expertise with AI for personalized development that drives 90% behavior change in participants.[1][2][5]
The platform emphasizes effectiveness and scalability, offering live small-group sessions, AI-led training, simulations, 24/7 coaching, and analytics to boost performance, retention, and engagement.[2][3][5] Hone has raised $55.9M in funding, including a $30M round, and employs around 75 people, showing strong growth momentum in the corporate training market.[4]
Hone was founded in 2018 by Tom Griffiths (CEO and Co-Founder) and Savina (likely a key executive focused on growth), both with experience at high-growth tech companies.[2][6] Tom previously co-founded and served as Chief Product Officer at gaming unicorn FanDuel, while Savina led growth at venture-backed B2B firms like Curalate, Incapsula, and Smartling.[6] The idea emerged from their observations of management and leadership gaps in hyper-growth companies, prompting them to pioneer remote-first, live virtual training as an alternative to outdated corporate programs.[3][6]
Early traction came from addressing distributed teams' needs with cost-efficient, scalable small-group live sessions reinforced by asynchronous tools.[3] F-Prime Capital invested in 2021, supporting expansion, and Hone quickly grew to serve clients worldwide while integrating AI innovations like Hone AI for on-demand upskilling.[1][2][4]
Hone rides the corporate upskilling wave, fueled by the World Economic Forum's projection that nearly half of workplace skills will disrupt by 2027, amid AI-driven changes and talent shortages.[2] Its timing aligns with the shift to remote/hybrid work and demand for measurable L&D, positioning it against ineffective traditional training in a $370B+ market.[3][5]
Market forces like hyper-growth tech firms' need for scalable soft skills training favor Hone, as it bridges human-led depth with AI speed for high-engagement outcomes—endorsed by analysts like Josh Bersin.[5] By enabling companies like ServiceNow to build leadership at scale, Hone influences the ecosystem, reducing turnover and boosting productivity in talent-competitive sectors.[1][2]
Hone is poised to dominate blended learning by expanding its AI-human hybrid model, potentially integrating deeper generative AI for custom curricula and predictive analytics on skill gaps.[2][5] Trends like continuous upskilling mandates and AI augmentation of L&D will accelerate its growth, especially as regulations emphasize workforce reskilling.
Its influence may evolve toward enterprise-wide platforms, powering ecosystem-wide behavior change and pre-IPO scale—building on $55.9M funding to capture more of the leadership training market.[4] This positions Hone as a transformative force, turning soft skills into a competitive edge for the AI era, much like its origins disrupted stale corporate training.[1][6]
Hone has raised $53.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Hone's investors include Acrew Capital, B Capital Group, Coalition Operators, Cowboy Ventures, Equity Venture Partners, Hack VC, Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital, Uncork Capital, Y Combinator, John Kobs, Mathilde Collin.
Hone has raised $53.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Series B in August 2022.
