Blockspring

In 2013, founders Paul Katsen and Jason Tokoph launched Blockspring with a powerful, yet simple idea: what if anyone, not just developers, could pull data from their favorite web services directly into a spreadsheet? They set out to build a platform that allowed non-technical users in sales, marketing, and recruiting to connect to APIs without writing a single line of code. This meant automating reports, enriching lead lists, and building dynamic web pages became accessible to a much wider audience. The company joined the Y Combinator accelerator in the summer of 2014, gaining early support. By 2015, Blockspring had raised $3.4 million in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz and SV Angel. Their core product was an add-in for tools like Google Sheets and Excel. It allowed a user to simply click to connect services, run queries, and schedule data refreshes automatically. The journey took a significant turn in January 2019 when the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase acquired Blockspring for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was a strategic move for Coinbase, which was attracted to Blockspring's mission of making complex technical concepts simple and accessible. Following the acquisition, Blockspring announced it would continue to operate as an independent company, ensuring its tools remained available for its existing and new customers.