Core Insights - Clay, a sales automation startup, has completed a Series C funding round led by CapitalG, achieving a valuation of approximately $3 billion [2] - The company recently allowed employees to sell shares at a $1.5 billion valuation, facilitated by a secondary market transaction led by Sequoia Capital [2] - Clay's CEO, Kareem Amin, expressed intentions to conduct annual share buyback offers [3] Company Overview - Founded in 2017, Clay shifted its focus to leveraging AI for sales and marketing, which has accelerated its growth [3] - The platform assists users in discovering key data and automating go-to-market strategies, enabling sales personnel to find updated prospect lists and craft personalized outreach emails [3] - Clay's tools are utilized by thousands of companies, including major firms like OpenAI, HubSpot, and Canva, as well as over 100 small consulting agencies [3] Competitive Landscape - Clay primarily competes with sales tech platforms such as ZoomInfo, Lusha, and Apollo.io, while also facing challenges from emerging products like Unify and Common Room [3] - Existing investors in Clay include Meritech Capital, Boldstart Ventures, Maple VC, First Round Capital, and Box Group [3]