Setter

Setter was a prop-tech company that provided a digital home management platform. Founded in Toronto in 2016 by David Steckel and Guillaume Laliberté, the company aimed to simplify homeownership. The team's background was in custom home construction, which inspired the development of their system to help homeowners manage their properties. Steckel and Laliberté met in late December 2015 and officially started working on the venture in January 2016.

The company's core service involved a virtual home checkup conducted via video call with a home care expert. Following this consultation, a home specialist would use data-driven insights to create personalized maintenance plans for homeowners, covering everything from urgent repairs to seasonal projects. This system was designed to give homeowners a clear plan and the means to complete their home maintenance tasks. In May 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Setter pivoted from managing and delivering services directly to focusing on a software-based, digital homeowner experience. The service included features like a proprietary "HomeScore™" to assess home safety and a "ProFinder" algorithm to connect users with reputable service providers.

In December 2020, Setter was acquired by Thumbtack, a San Francisco-based online marketplace for local service professionals, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition allowed Thumbtack to integrate Setter's virtual consultation and personalized planning capabilities, aiming to deepen its relationship with homeowners and put home care on "autopilot". Prior to the acquisition, Setter had raised approximately $12-20 million from investors including Sequoia Capital and NFX.

Keywords: home management, property technology, home maintenance, virtual home inspection, home repair plan, home services, prop-tech, homeowner support, digital home platform, Setter, Thumbtack, David Steckel, Guillaume Laliberté