Proof of Usefulness Report

Fishbowl

Analysis completed on 1/21/2026

+563
Proof of Usefulness Score
Industry Mainstay

The submission describes 'Fishbowl' (the professional networking app acquired by Glassdoor/Recruit Holdings in 2021) but provides metadata for 'Fishbowl Marketing' (a restaurant analytics firm founded in 2001). Despite this data integrity error and the vague, hyperbolic claims (e.g., 'most people have used my product'), the underlying project described in the text is a major platform with significant real-world utility and verifiable exit traction. The score reflects the high value of the actual product, heavily penalized in the Quality Factors for the confused and low-effort submission.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility2.5)
Audience Reach Impact2.0)
Technical Innovation1.5)
Evidence Of Traction2.5)
Market Timing Relevance1.0)
Functional Completeness0.5)
Subtotal+592.5
Usefulness Multiplierx0.95
Final Score+563

Project Details

Project URL
fishbowlapp.com
Description
Fishbowl connects professionals with their industry to have honest and rewarding career conversations anonymously. Many users describe Fishbowl as a “the Reddit for professionals.” The platform initially opened exclusively to the Consulting, Accounting, Law, Finance and Advertising industries and has since become extremely popular having captured more than 45% of the US professionals in these industries. All levels of seniority use Fishbowl actively, including C-Suite leaders from the top companies.\n\nFishbowl is advised by world-class investors behind startup unicorns like Slack and Snapchat, and has been acquired in September 2021 by Recruit Holdings to join Glassdoor as part of its family of companies that includes also Indeed.

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