Proof of Usefulness Report

Plaid

Analysis completed on 2/17/2026

+703
Proof of Usefulness Score
Category Standard

Plaid is a verifiable fintech unicorn with exceptional real-world utility and massive audience reach, serving as critical infrastructure for thousands of financial apps. However, the submission itself is of low quality, containing inaccurate financial data (market cap listed as 300M vs actual ~13B) and brief, vague descriptions. The score reflects the immense proven value of the project, adjusted downward for the poor quality of the specific submission evidence.

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Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+23.75
Audience Reach Impact+17.10
Technical Innovation+13.50
Evidence Of Traction+15.75
Market Timing Relevance+9.00
Functional Completeness+0.75
Subtotal+79.85
Usefulness Multiplierx0.88
Final Score+703

Project Details

Project URL
plaid.com
Description
Plaid is a data network that powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. Plaid works with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, and Betterment, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers more than 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company was founded in 2013 by Zach Perret and William Hockey.

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