Overview

Lynk is a global expert network. The company provides a digital marketplace where professionals can access consulting opportunities, share expertise, and engage in industry discussions.

Lynk was founded in 2015 in Singapore under the name The Straits Network. Its founder, with a background at Silver Lake during its $200 million investment in GLG, aimed to create a competitive expert network platform. Over time, Lynk expanded its presence beyond Southeast Asia, operating across multiple global locations.

Core services

Lynk offers three primary services designed to facilitate knowledge-sharing and expert access:

1. Lynk Answers – A traditional expert network service providing access to interviews, surveys, and in-person consultations with subject matter experts.
2. Lynk Circles – A platform enabling clients to build and manage their own private expert communities. Lynk Circles launched in mid-2022.
3. Lynk Infinity – An expert network aggregator.

Fundraising and financial background

1. 2015: $1 million from Wavemaker Partners.
2. 2017 (Series A): $4 million from investors including Hong Leong Financial Group, Cyberport (Hong Kong), Zhuhai Da Heng Qin (DHQ), and CRE Venture Capital.
3. 2019: $1 million from MassMutual Ventures Southeast Asia (MMV SEA), Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, and Wavemaker Partners.
4. 2021 (Series B): $24 million from Brewer Lane Ventures, MassMutual Ventures, and Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund.
5. 2021 (September): $5 million from UBS, aimed at cross-selling UBS analysts as experts within Lynk’s network.

While Lynk once boasted a database of over 840,000 experts and a workforce spanning eight global offices, it has faced operational hurdles, including market downturns, employee retention struggles, and leadership transitions.

Headquarters

Singapore