Proof of Usefulness Report

Handshake

Analysis completed on 2/10/2026

+697
Proof of Usefulness Score
Category Standard

Handshake is a market-leading career platform with verifiable unicorn status ($3.5B+ valuation) and massive reach (17M+ students), justifying high utility and traction scores. However, the submission itself was low-effort and contained significant inaccuracies regarding team size (claimed 7,500 vs actual ~1,600) and financials (claimed $75M market cap vs actual ~$3.5B). The score reflects the project's immense real-world value, penalized significantly by the poor quality and accuracy of the submitted evidence.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+237.5
Audience Reach Impact+190.0
Technical Innovation+45.0
Evidence Of Traction+166.25
Market Timing Relevance+90.0
Functional Completeness+5.0
Subtotal+733.75
Usefulness Multiplierx0.95
Final Score+697

Project Details

Project URL
joinhandshake.com
Description
Handshake is the career platform for Gen Z. With a community of over 17 million students, alumni, employers, and career educators, Handshake’s network is where career advice and discovery turn into first, second, and third jobs. Nearly 1 million companies use Handshake to build their future workforce—from Fortune 500 to federal agencies, school districts to startups, healthcare systems to small businesses. Handshake is built for where you’re going, not where you’ve been.

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