Sobo

What Sobo does

Sobo is an Atlanta-based, privately held company founded in 2023 that targets small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with $1M–$50M in annual revenue. It operates two interrelated offerings: a Diagnostic Engine that delivers insights to operators in this mid-market range, and a fractional consulting marketplace that matches SMBs with verified executive-level consultants on demand. The combined proposition addresses the workforce gap faced by SMBs that cannot justify or afford full-time executive hires, providing affordable, on-demand access to C-suite-level expertise.

The company monetizes through a subscription-recurring revenue model tied to its consulting marketplace, with public pricing details not disclosed. Its go-to-market motion is sales-led and its segmentation approach is horizontal across the $1M–$50M operator segment. Currently it markets a geographic footprint in the Southeast US. The Diagnostic Engine product page is hosted at sobo.ai and is positioned as the core analytical product, with the marketplace serving as the transactional layer above it.

In February 2025, Sobo closed a $2 million seed round led by Triangle Tweener Fund and publicly targeted $1 million in annual recurring revenue by 2026. The company operates with an 11–50 employee headcount under co-founder and CEO Robert Burke and co-founder and CMO Frank Lazaro. The company has not disclosed revenue, customer logos, app distribution, API surface, patents, or AI/ML technical details in the available materials.

Name

Sobo

Legal name

Sobo

Website

https://Sobo.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sobo is an Atlanta-based operator of a fractional consulting marketplace and diagnostic engine, connecting SMBs with $1M–$50M in revenue to verified executive-level consultants on demand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fractional Consulting Marketplace

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

Keywords

• Fractional consulting platform
• Executive consulting marketplace
• SMB advisory services
• Business diagnostic engine
• On-demand consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Fractional Consulting Marketplace: Sobo operates a fractional consulting marketplace connecting SMBs with executive-level consultants. The platform enables businesses to access affordable, on-demand executive expertise without the cost of full-time hires. Revenue is generated through consulting engagements facilitated on the platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

Sobo operates a fractional consulting marketplace that connects SMBs ($1M-$50M revenue operators) with verified executive-level consultants for affordable, on-demand engagements. The platform also provides a Diagnostic Engine that delivers insights and analysis tailored to operators in the $1M–$50M revenue range, addressing the workforce gap faced by small and medium businesses that cannot afford full-time executive hires.

Product overview

Sobo operates as a dual offering company: (1) a Diagnostic Engine for operators of businesses in the $1M–$50M revenue range, providing diagnostic and analytical capabilities for mid-market operators, and (2) a fractional consulting marketplace that connects SMBs with affordable on-demand executive expertise. The company is headquartered in Atlanta and recently secured seed funding to expand its fractional consulting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sobo Diagnostic Engine A diagnostic engine designed for operators of businesses in the $1M-$50M revenue range, providing insights and analysis tailored to mid-market SMB operators.
• Fractional Consulting Marketplace A marketplace connecting SMBs ($1M-$50M operators) with affordable, on-demand fractional executive consultants to address workforce gaps that cannot be filled by full-time executive hires.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Toptal: Toptal is a global freelance marketplace that matches businesses with vetted fractional executives, consultants, and technical talent. It directly competes with Sobo in connecting SMBs to on-demand executive expertise, operating with a similar two-sided marketplace model.
• Catalant: Catalant (formerly MBA & Company) is an enterprise-focused marketplace that connects companies with independent consultants and fractional executives for project-based and interim engagements. It is a direct competitor in the fractional consulting space, especially for mid-market and enterprise buyers.
• Paro: Paro is a marketplace that matches SMBs and mid-market companies with vetted fractional finance, accounting, and marketing professionals. Its focus on SMBs needing affordable executive expertise mirrors Sobo's core target customer.
• Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG): GLG is one of the world's largest expert networks, connecting decision-makers with consultants and industry experts for short-term advisory and consulting engagements. It competes with Sobo in delivering on-demand expertise to business operators.
• Expert360: Expert360 is a consulting and advisory marketplace that connects organizations with independent consultants and fractional executives. It shares Sobo's marketplace model for matching businesses with vetted executive-level talent on demand.
• Talmix: Talmix is a digital platform that connects companies with independent consultants, freelancers, and fractional executives for project-based and ongoing engagements. It overlaps directly with Sobo's marketplace for SMB executive expertise.

Broad incumbents

• Upwork: Upwork is the largest generalist freelance marketplace, offering a broad range of talent including fractional executives and consultants. While not focused exclusively on the SMB executive gap, it competes for the same pool of buyers and freelance suppliers as Sobo.

Emerging players

• Maven: Maven operates a learning and expert network platform that combines cohort-based courses with access to vetted mentors and advisors for professionals and operators. It partially overlaps with Sobo's executive expertise marketplace, especially for growth and GTM advising.
• Growth Mentor: Growth Mentor is a curated marketplace connecting startup founders and operators with vetted marketing and growth mentors for fractional engagements. It overlaps with Sobo on the SMB/operator side and the fractional advisory model.

Regional players

• SCORE: SCORE is a US-based nonprofit network that provides free mentoring and business advice to small business owners. It addresses the same SMB workforce/expertise gap as Sobo but does so with volunteer mentors rather than paid fractional executives, and operates as a US-only nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soboatl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sobo