Podcast consensus

Points of consensus

▶Handshake's network consists of 18 million professionals, including 500,000 PhDs and 3 million master's students, a fact consistently stated across multiple sources (claims 2, 19).Apr 2026

▶Domain experts using the platform to train AI models are compensated well, with multiple claims agreeing on an average rate of over $100 per hour, with specific figures cited between $100 and $200 (claims 7, 16, 23).Apr 2026

▶The company has achieved full market penetration with top-tier employers, with claims consistently stating that 100% of Fortune 500 companies use the Handshake network for recruiting (claims 6, 18).Apr 2026

▶Handshake's new AI division is a key supplier to the AI industry, with multiple claims confirming it works directly with major frontier AI labs to provide expert-generated data (claims 9, 14, 22).Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶There is a minor discrepancy regarding the number of key AI clients; one claim states Handshake works with 'seven of the frontier AI labs' (claim 9), while two others specify 'six of the major frontier AI labs' (claims 14, 22).Apr 2026

▶The total size of Handshake's user base is presented with slight variation. One claim mentions 'over 20 million students and alumni' (claim 6), whereas two other claims cite a figure of '18 million professionals' (claims 2, 19).Apr 2026

▶The number of university partners is reported with slight differences. One source mentions 'over 1,500 colleges' (claim 6), while another provides a more specific figure of '1,600 universities in the United States' (claim 13).Apr 2026

▶The compensation for experts is described with varying levels of specificity. One claim gives a broad range of '$100 and $200 per hour' (claim 7), while others provide more detail, citing an 'average bill rate of over $100 per hour' and a typical rate of '$125 per hour' (claims 16, 23).Apr 2026

Key themes

▶Explosive Growth of the AI Data BusinessApr 2026

Handshake launched a new AI data business in January that achieved a remarkable $50 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) within four months and is projected to exceed $100 million in its first year (claims 8, 10). This new division, which serves major frontier AI labs, was incubated as a separate organization to ensure speed and focus, with CEO Garrett Lord dedicating over 80% of his time to its launch (claims 3, 5, 9).

This rapid and successful pivot into the high-demand AI data market demonstrates Handshake's ability to leverage its core asset—its expert network—to create a powerful new revenue stream that could soon rival or surpass its established core business.

▶Leveraging a Unique Expert NetworkApr 2026

At the heart of Handshake's value proposition is its network of 18 million professionals, which notably includes 500,000 PhDs and 3 million master's students (claims 2, 19). This highly educated user base is the engine for both its core recruiting marketplace and its new AI data services, where experts can earn $100-$200 per hour for training models (claim 7).

Handshake's defensible moat is its curated, high-quality human capital network, which is difficult to replicate and perfectly positioned to meet the AI industry's critical need for specialized, expert-vetted data.

▶Dominance in the Early-Career Talent MarketApr 2026

Handshake's core business is a dominant two-sided marketplace for early-career talent, generating approximately $200 million in annual revenue (claim 11). The platform is used by 1,600 universities, including 92% of the top 500 in the US, and every Fortune 500 company, solidifying its position as the go-to platform for graduate recruitment (claims 13, 18).

The company's deep entrenchment in the university ecosystem provides a stable, lucrative core business and a continuous, renewing supply of high-quality talent, ensuring the long-term viability of both its recruitment and expert network services.

▶Aggressive Scaling and Strategic FocusApr 2026

Handshake is pursuing aggressive growth, particularly in its AI division, which is hiring 12 new employees per week and has already reached capacity, turning down a $20 million project (claims 15, 21). The company made a strategic decision to work directly with AI labs, cutting out data intermediaries, and is simultaneously expanding its core business internationally into the UK, France, and Germany (claims 1, 17).

The combination of strategic focus—like incubating the AI business separately and shifting its data partnership model—and aggressive operational scaling indicates a clear intent to capture market leadership in the emerging AI data vertical while continuing to grow its foundational business.

Source episodes

Timeline

Pre-January 2024

Handshake established its core job marketplace, generating ~$200 million in annual revenue by connecting its network of 18 million professionals with over a million companies, including all Fortune 500 firms.

January 2024

The company strategically launched a new AI data labeling business, incubated as a separate organization to ensure focus and speed, with the CEO dedicating over 80% of his time to the new venture.

January - April 2024

The new AI business experienced explosive growth, reaching $50 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) within its first four months of operation.

Present

The AI division is working with 6-7 frontier AI labs, hiring 12 people per week, and operating at full capacity. Concurrently, the core self-service business is adding $1 million in revenue per week, and the company is expanding into France, Germany, and the UK.

Within First 12 Months

Handshake projects its new AI data business will surpass $100 million in ARR, potentially making it a significant portion of the company's total revenue.

Suggested prompts

What are the primary operational risks Handshake faces in scaling its AI data business from $50M to a projected $100M+ ARR while hiring 12-20 people per week? &nearr;How does Handshake's strategic decision to bypass intermediary data companies and work directly with AI labs affect its competitive positioning and margin structure? &nearr;What is the strategy for balancing resource allocation and leadership focus between the legacy ~$200M core business and the hyper-growth AI division? &nearr;How sustainable is the high compensation model for domain experts, and what are the potential threats from automation or increased competition in the AI data labeling market? &nearr;

Key concepts

AI Data Business 3 ep Expert Network 3 ep Frontier AI Labs 3 ep Expert Compensation 3 ep Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) 2 ep Core Job Marketplace 2 ep University Partnerships 2 ep Fortune 500 Clients 2 ep International Expansion 1 ep Self-Service Business Growth 1 ep

Report last updated: Apr 8, 2026

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