Clubhouse (App) is an audio-based social media app where users can join in or listen to people across unlabeled chat rooms. It was created by Paul Davison who developed the meet-up app Highlight and the Talkshow app.^{[1] [3]}

Clubhouse app is a new trending app which allows users to join open virtual rooms and listen to others, have free-flowing conversations (you raise your hand to be invited to speak, or get tapped by those already speaking to more actively participate). ^[3]

Clubhouse App has proven red-hot with venture capital investors and the technorati set.

It is a voice-based social media app with less than 5,000 beta test users as of May 2020. Prospective listeners have to sign up for a waitlist through Google form, as the app is not yet in the Apple’s App Store.

It was Paul Davidson^[6] that created the app (an app developer who has already worked for Pinterest and Google) and Rohan Seth, the co-founder. ^[14]

Partners from Andreessen Horowitz and other leading firms have been seen, heard, and tweeted copiously about Clubhouse. And the app has seen a number of tech celebrities, such as Mark Cuban, as well as entertainment celebrities like Kevin Hart make appearances, to early users’ delight.

For now, Clubhouse does not have a website and it has not been officially launched, although many are already looking for an invitation to access this app that can mark the future of social networks. ^[2]

In May 2020, Clubhouse raised a Series A funding round from Andreessen Horowitz, multiple sources told Forbes, in a deal that includes $10 million in primary capital and at least $2 million in secondary shares, valuing the company at or just above $100 million, per the sources. Benchmark was also looking to invest in Clubhouse and competing with Andreessen. One of the things that helped Andreessen Horowitz seal the deal was getting Comedian Kevin Hart to join the app on May 10, 2020.

Andreessen Horowitz and Andrew Chen are set to join Clubhouse’s board.^[5]

Paul Davison, who previously worked at Google, had served as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Benchmark for more than a year ending in 2011, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He then founded Highlight, a startup acquired by Andreessen-backed Pinterest in 2016.

Paul Davison teamed up with fellow ex-Googler and entrepreneur Rohan Seth to co-found Alpha Exploration Company, the parent to Clubhouse, in February 2020.

According to three sources who had knowledge of the bidding war, Andreessen Horowitz wooed Paul Davison and Clubhouse away from his former firm through an offer that included a higher price tag, working with a longtime friend in Chen and a late full-court press by Andreessen himself.

The billionaire Netscape co-founder called in a personal favor with Kevin Hart, the actor known for starring roles in films like the recent Jumanji franchise, to get him on the app.

A Forbes source later said that Chris Lyons, the leader of the Andreessen Horowitz's Cultural Leadership Fund that has close Hollywood ties, played a key role in securing Hart.

^[3]

Clubhouse had much higher offers that could value it at up to $200 million, a different source told Forbes.

Those offers included high-powered groups of individuals, or angel investor syndicates, who tried and failed to convince Paul Davison to skip working with an institutional firm altogether.

But they weren’t close to winning the buzzy round.

says an investor familiar with Clubhouse and the raise.

Benchmark’s own offer came it at less than $100 million, more like $75 million or $80 million, the source said, meaning it would demand more ownership in the company.