UTest raises $5M for crowdsourced software testing
UTest, a marketplace where companies can “crowdsource” the testing of their software, has raised $5 million in a second round of funding.
Chief executive Doron Reuveni describes the outsourced testing industry as “an old space that has been there for a while, and it needs innovation.” By creating a software-as-a-service platform for testing that allows companies to assemble a team of testers (rather than just hiring a single person or company) and pay through a pay-per-performance model (usually a set fee for each bug found or for useful feedback), uTest offers a better deal than traditional outsourcing companies, or even newer outsourcing/remote work web sites like Elance and Rentacoder.
One of the most impressive things about uTest is the size of its testing community — almost 12,000 software professionals in 144 countries. Reuveni says his customers include both startups who couldn’t afford a traditional quality-assurance team and larger companies looking for a better way to do QA. (The only big customer he will identify is email marketing company Constant Contact.)
Next, Reuveni says uTest will expand its services into a larger chunk of the product cycle, and into areas like mobile and usability testing.
The round was led by Longworth Venture Partners and Egan-Managed Capital, with participation from existing investors Mesco and Massachusetts Technology Development Corp. The company raised a $2.3 million first round last year.
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About the Author, Anthony Ha
Anthony is VentureBeat's assistant editor, as well as its reporter on enterprise technology, cloud computing, and tech policy. Before joining VentureBeat in 2008, Anthony worked at the Hollister Free Lance, where he won awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for breaking news coverage and writing. He attended Stanford University and now lives in San Francisco. Reach him at anthony@venturebeat.com. You can also follow Anthony on Twitter.
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