Proof of Usefulness Report

Collective

Analysis completed on 1/18/2026

+597
Proof of Usefulness Score
Industry Mainstay

Collective is a legitimate, high-growth Series B fintech company with significant backing (General Catalyst, Gradient Ventures) and verifiable market traction (hundreds of employees, millions in funding). However, the submission itself is of very low quality, containing factually incorrect claims (e.g., 'most people have used my product' and audience reach of 'everyone'). While the underlying business fundamentals warrant a high score in the 400–700 range, the score is penalized by the low-effort and inaccurate response quality.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+225
Audience Reach Impact+105
Technical Innovation+78
Evidence Of Traction+120
Market Timing Relevance+95
Functional Completeness+5
Subtotal+628
Usefulness Multiplierx0.95
Final Score+597

Project Details

Project URL
collective.com
Description
Collective is on a mission to redefine the way businesses-of-one work. Collective’s technology and team of trusted advisors enables our members to achieve financial independence by taking care of everything from business incorporation to accounting, bookkeeping, tax services and access to a thriving community, all in one integrated platform. We believe in empowering self-employed people to enjoy the same tax savings that big companies get. \n\nFeatured in Forbes, Business Insider, Yahoo, Bloomberg, Financial Times, Techcrunch and more. We’re backed by General Catalyst, Sound Ventures (Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary), QED Investors, Google’s Gradient Ventures, Expa and prominent investors who have financed and built iconic companies like YouTube, Substack, Twitch, Box, Hims, Instacart, Lyft, and more.
Audience Reach
everyone
Target Users
everyone
Technologies
Banking, Social Media, Business Development
Traction Evidence
most people have used my product

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Strong market validation with clear user adoption patterns
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline