Founded in 2021 by Andy Chung, a former product designer at tech giants such as Facebook, Mozilla, and Salesforce-owned Quip, Read.cv emerged as a promising platform enabling users to share resumes, engage with peers, and explore job opportunities. Its recent initiative, Sites, allowed users to create personal websites anchored to their professional profiles, complete with a distinctive “.cv” domain.
The acquisition by Perplexity was announced amidst plans to wind down Read.cv’s operations starting this Friday. Users of Read.cv have been assured the ability to export their data up until May 16. Reflecting on the acquisition, a post on Read.cv’s blog stated, “We’ve long admired Perplexity and believe great things happen when the world’s knowledge is made more open and accessible. In that spirit, we are thrilled to be joining the design and engineering team at Perplexity to continue our shared mission of exploration and discovery.”
Strategic Expansion and Future Horizons
Perplexity, known for its AI-driven search capabilities, has been on a robust growth trajectory, underpinned by a series of acquisitions including the notable additions of Carbon and Spellwise in recent years. The integration of Read.cv’s team and technology is expected to bolster Perplexity’s offerings, particularly in creating enriched consumer and social experiences. “The team is incredibly capable in designing and building consumer and social experiences and we look forward to working with them on many new exciting directions!” remarked Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas.
Despite the clear strategic fits, the exact future plans for Read.cv under Perplexity’s umbrella remain under wraps. However, industry speculations suggest an increased focus on enhancing enterprise functionalities, likely influenced by the demands of venture capital stakeholders eager for accelerated returns on their investments. Last summer, Perplexity expanded its corporate functionalities, introducing an enterprise plan featuring advanced user management and internal knowledge search capabilities.
Industry Implications and User Impact
The acquisition of Read.cv marks Perplexity’s third major acquisition, pointing to a strategic pattern of expanding its technological repertoire and user base through targeted purchases. For Read.cv’s users, the transition promises new avenues for managing their professional identities, especially with the migration of “.cv” domains to Hello.cv starting January 31.
As the professional social networking space continues to evolve, the consolidation of platforms like Read.cv into larger entities like Perplexity could reshape how professionals connect, share knowledge, and advance their careers in an increasingly digital world.
