Torch

Torch

Tech-enabled leadership development platform with coaching

About Torch

Simplify's Rating
Why Torch is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Data & Analytics

Consulting

Enterprise Software

Education

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Series C

Total Funding

$84M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2017

Overview

Torch.io delivers enterprise leadership development by pairing a tech-enabled platform with coaching. It uses validated leadership assessments and anonymous peer feedback to surface strengths and blind spots, helping leaders set personalized goals and track growth for individuals and teams. Virtual coaching is led by credentialed professionals, achieving a 96% coach-match success rate. An HR Dashboard provides visibility into teams’ growth velocity, enabling managers to monitor progress and make data-driven decisions; the service is sold on a subscription basis for platform access and coaching.

YC Company
Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • $40M Series C in May 2022 funds AI-enhanced coaching expansion and sales team growth.
  • 96% coach match rate from 6,000+ credentialed coaches builds enterprise client retention.
  • HR Dashboard reveals team growth velocity, justifying L&D ROI for enterprise buyers.

What critics are saying

  • CoachHub's digital-first model undercuts Torch's hybrid approach at 50% lower cost.
  • Praxis Labs integration fails, causing bugs and coach churn within 3-9 months.
  • BetterUp's predictive analytics surpass Torch's dashboard, stealing market share in 12-18 months.

What makes Torch unique

  • Torch blends expert coaching, AI Spark simulations, and organizational intelligence for contextual leadership development.
  • Praxis Labs acquisition integrates AI learning, with Smith as head of AI growth and Shen as head of AI product.
  • Program-centric platform embeds coaching into manager training, HIPO, DEI, and onboarding programs.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Funding

Total Funding

$84M

Below

Industry Average

Funded Over

4 Rounds

Notable Investors:
Series C funding is usually for startups that are doing well and are looking for more money to fuel major growth, such as acquiring other companies, expanding into global markets, or launching new product lines. Investors typically include larger venture capital firms and private equity.
Series C Funding Comparison
Below Average

Industry standards

$50M
$40M
Torch
$50M
Medium
$62M
SeatGeek
$100M
Oura

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401k Retirement Plan

Paid parental leave

Flexible vacation

Infrastructure to support a remote and distributed team

Generous professional development stipend

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

0%
TechCrunch
Jul 11th, 2025
AI leadership development platform Praxis Labs sells to Torch

Smith and Shen will join Torch as head of AI growth and head of AI product, respectively.

FinSMEs
Jul 10th, 2025
Torch Acquires Praxis Labs Platform

Torch, a San Francisco-based provider of a contextual coaching platform, has acquired Praxis Labs, an AI learning platform provider.

GeekWire
Mar 29th, 2023
The Hurdles Women-Founded Startups Face In Venture Capital — And Advice To Overcome Them

Leslie Feinzaig (left), Graham Walker founder and managing director, and Charlotte Newman, head of global business development, underrepresented founders and investors, Amazon Web Services. They spoke during a fireside chat at the AWS Startups Female Founder Showcase last week in Seattle. (GeekWire Photo / Nate Bek) Don’t be scared to pitch big.That’s the advice Graham Walker Founder and Managing Director Leslie Feinzaig said she would give to women looking to navigate the world of venture capital.“We tend to want to under promise and over deliver,” she said, speaking at the Female Founders Showcase hosted last week at the Amazon headquarters in Seattle’s South Lake Union. “Venture capital is not the place to do that.”Just 2.1% of total capital invested in U.S. venture-backed startups in 2022 went to companies founded solely by women, according to a report by PitchBook. That’s down from the 2.4% invested in all-women founding teams in 2021.Women often face dismissal and have to jump through hoops to get the attention of investors, said Charlotte Newman, head of global business development, underrepresented founders and investors, Amazon Web Services.Venture capitalists tend to ask more risk-based questions rather than express enthusiasm while getting a pitch from a woman, she said.As women founders look to navigate the venture capital world, Feinzaig said she would give women founders three pieces of advice:

Cision
Jan 24th, 2023
Torch-Sponsored Harvard Business Review Analytics Services Study On Le

This Torch-sponsored Harvard Business Review Analytics Services research shows near unanimous agreement that architected, relationship-based leadership development, leveraging tech-enabled coaching and mentoring, is a groundbreaking new practice for organizations of all sizes. .

Cision
Oct 25th, 2022
New Torch Survey Reveals Strong Link Between Coaching/Mentoring And Em

When leaders have insight into what's happening inside their organizations, this can have a big impact on what gets invested in, and what doesn’t. Research published by Torch, a leading people development platform that harnesses the power of trusted relationships to fuel employee growth and success, has highlighted a strong link between the provision of coaching and mentoring and employers’ ability to retain talent

Recently Posted Jobs

Sign up to get curated job recommendations

There are no jobs for Torch right now.

Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today

We update Torch's jobs every few hours, so check again soon! Browse all jobs →