klout is a technology company.
klout has raised $41.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at klout.
klout was founded in 2008 by Binh Tran (CTO / Co-founder).
klout has raised $41.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Klout was a technology company that developed a platform to measure social media influence by assigning users a "Klout Score" based on their activity and engagement across multiple social networks. It served individuals, brands, and businesses by quantifying their online influence to help them understand and leverage their social media impact. Klout’s product addressed the problem of measuring intangible social influence in a data-driven way, gaining rapid growth with millions of users and partnerships before ceasing operations in 2018 due to regulatory and market challenges[1][2][3].
Founded in 2008 by Joe Fernandez and others, Klout emerged from the idea of quantifying social influence in a digital age where social media was rapidly expanding. Early traction came as the platform integrated data from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and later other networks like Instagram and Google+, enabling users to track their influence scores and claim perks from brand partnerships. The company’s acquisition by Lithium Technologies in 2014 for $200 million marked a pivotal moment, but Klout ultimately shut down in 2018 following the introduction of the European GDPR privacy regulations[1][3].
Klout rode the wave of social media’s rise and the growing importance of online personal branding and influencer marketing. Its timing was crucial as brands sought measurable ways to identify and engage influential users. The platform helped pioneer the concept of social influence metrics, influencing how marketers and platforms think about digital reputation and engagement. However, increasing concerns about privacy and data control, culminating in GDPR, highlighted the challenges of handling personal data at scale. Klout’s shutdown reflected broader market and regulatory shifts impacting data-driven social analytics[1][3].
Although Klout ceased operations in 2018, its legacy persists in the influencer marketing and social analytics tools that followed. Future trends shaping this space include enhanced privacy protections, AI-driven sentiment and influence analysis, and deeper integration of offline and online influence metrics. Companies building on Klout’s foundation will likely focus on transparency, user control over data, and more nuanced influence measures beyond simple scoring. Klout’s story underscores the balance between innovation in social data and evolving regulatory landscapes, offering lessons for future tech ventures in social analytics.
Key people at klout.
klout was founded in 2008 by Binh Tran (CTO / Co-founder).
klout has raised $41.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
klout's investors include 10100, 2xN, Accel, Acequia Capital, AME Cloud Ventures, Amplify.LA, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Avalon Ventures, Bedrock Capital, Benchmark, Blumberg Capital, BoxGroup.
klout has raised $41.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Series C in December 2011.
