Clasp, formerly known as Stride Funding, has raised more than $10 million in an oversubscribed venture round, bringing its total funding to over $30 million. Led by the $4.6 billion venture firm Crosslink Capital, the round also attracted new strategic investors such as SHRM and notable individuals, including Marc Weill, whose family has made significant contributions to healthcare institutions.
Clasp’s innovative recruitment platform focuses on solving talent shortages by helping employers recruit and retain skilled workers, particularly in hard-to-hire fields like healthcare. The platform is designed to reduce student debt while fostering long-term commitments between employers and employees. The rebranding to Clasp reflects the company’s broader mission of addressing workforce challenges with a forward-thinking approach that benefits both sides of the employment relationship.
Supporting over 10,000 individuals, Clasp has concentrated on the healthcare industry, partnering with a diverse range of healthcare systems, including academic, pediatric, home health, optometry, and veterinary organizations. Clasp is also collaborating with one of the largest semiconductor companies, with plans to expand into other industries experiencing critical talent shortages.
The demand for healthcare workers in the U.S. is on the rise, with the American Hospital Association estimating that an additional 3.2 million workers will be needed by 2026. Clasp aims to address this gap by forging strong, lasting relationships between employers and employees. The platform widens candidate pools by partnering with a national network of universities and training programs, ensuring that current students are matched with healthcare institutions that will repay their student loans in exchange for multi-year work commitments.
Shaughn Korpalski, Senior Manager of Campus, Branding, and ED&I at MyEyeDr., praised Clasp’s impact: “We’ve proudly partnered with Clasp for the past two years, and the growth has been remarkable. Our collaboration has strengthened our pipeline of healthcare professionals, and Clasp’s program has reinforced our commitment to ensuring the financial well-being of our talent while maintaining top-notch patient care.”
For students, Clasp offers financial relief by eliminating student debt and securing job opportunities post-graduation. Healthcare institutions benefit from a steady flow of dedicated talent, ranging from nurses to respiratory therapists, while significantly reducing recruitment costs.
“The healthcare recruitment system is broken,” said Tess Michaels, Clasp’s founder and CEO. “Institutions are fighting for a shrinking talent pool, relying on temporary fixes like signing bonuses, which don’t solve retention issues. Clasp’s model is a sustainable solution that addresses both recruitment and retention, benefitting everyone involved.”
Gabby Contro, Partner at Crosslink Capital, added: “Clasp is fundamentally reshaping how we tackle workforce challenges. Their approach not only addresses the student debt crisis but also creates a long-term solution for industries grappling with talent shortages. Clasp’s model is transformative, and we are proud to support their vision of revolutionizing recruitment and retention across healthcare and beyond.”
The new name, Clasp, was developed by A Hundred Monkeys, with brand identity crafted by Mackey Saturday, known for his work with Instagram and Affirm.
