Proof of Usefulness Report

Podium

Analysis completed on 1/28/2026

+704
Proof of Usefulness Score
Category Standard

Podium is a highly successful, verified 'unicorn' SaaS company (approx. $3B valuation) with significant real-world utility for local businesses. While the submission itself was low-effort (e.g., mismatching name 'BlazeWing', vague claims like 'most people', lazy traction evidence), the external reality of the project confirms massive reach, 1,300+ employees, and widely adopted technology. The score reflects its status as a market leader, adjusted downward slightly for the poor quality of the submission data.

Ready to Compete for $150k+ in Prizes?

Move this data into a HackerNoon blog draft to become eligible for your share of $150k+ in cash and software prizes

View All Reports

Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+230
Audience Reach Impact+171
Technical Innovation+112.5
Evidence Of Traction+196
Market Timing Relevance+85
Functional Completeness+5
Subtotal+799.5
Usefulness Multiplierx0.88
Final Score+704

Project Details

Project URL
podium.com
Description
Podium exists to help local businesses win. Using Podium’s technology, local businesses are able to simplify the way they build their business and modernize the way they communicate with their customers – from collecting payments, facilitating online reviews, launching marketing campaigns, and much more. \n\nOur work and focus on local business and helping them to build thriving businesses has been recognized across the industry, including Forbes’ Next Billion Dollar Startups, Forbes’ Cloud 100, the Inc. 5000 (#13), and Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies. For more about our product, watch this video. Podium has a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture and was recently named one of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces for 2021 (4 years in a row). We look for people who are curious, creative and are willing to do the work to be a little better every day. We also embody our company values in all that we do, which always starts with being Customer Obsessed, followed by Be a Founder, Zero Drama, and Enjoy the Ride.

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