Connectd Review: What It Is in 2026
Connectd is a London platform, founded in 2019, that matches startups and scaleups with fractional executives, advisors and non-executive directors. A 6-month pro bono period comes before any paid engagement. It fits companies hiring part-time leaders. Founders who need investors should use Round Funded and start with free investor matches.
Connectd at a Glance
| Connectd | |
|---|---|
| What it is | A platform matching startups and scaleups with fractional executives, strategic advisors and directors |
| Best for | Startups looking for part-time leaders or advisors. To reach investors, Round Funded is the pick |
| Pricing (as of October 2026) | No published price found in the pages we reviewed; third-party sources cite membership fees |
| Free plan or trial | Free registration; startups get a matched expert for 6 months at no cost, per Connectd |
| Founded or launched | 2019, per PitchBook and Dealroom |
| Location | London (32-38 Leman St), with Miami chosen as its US base |
What Connectd Is and How It Works
Connectd describes itself as "a people-first platform connecting startups and scaleups with experienced fractional executives, strategic advisors and directors." PitchBook calls it a talent matching platform for growth-stage companies. Dealroom says Roei Samuel and co-founder Sam Luckett founded it in London in 2019, and the About page lists Samuel as Founder and CEO. That page also says it originally set out to build a three-sided marketplace matching investors, founders and a community of NEDs, mentors and fractionals.
Per Connectd's startup page, startups review curated matches from what it says are 6,500+ vetted experts, start intro calls within 48 hours with multiple candidates, then work with the matched expert for 6 months at no cost. After that, a startup can convert the expert to a paid engagement on its own terms. Experts complete a CPD-accredited Academy for a pathway (Fractional C-suite, Advisor or NED), and Connectd says every member who finishes it gets a guaranteed pro bono placement.
Connectd Pricing in 2026
For startups, Connectd's startup page says the matched expert works with you "for 6 months at no cost," and the US About page offers free registration. No price list for startups was found in the pages we reviewed.
A Boardio comparison post from September 2026 says Connectd monetizes mainly through advisor membership fees. Adeline's profile, last edited in October 2025, says founders pay an annual membership from around £195, a figure we could not confirm on Connectd's own pages.
On Trustpilot, one reviewer said the first meeting brought a quote of £2,400+VAT for 1 year, £4,500+VAT for 2 years or £6,200+VAT for 3 years for mandatory training before a first pro bono role. Another mentioned an Academy option at £200 a month. These are individual reports, not published prices.
What Connectd Is Built For, and Its Limits
What Connectd is built for
Connectd places operators into startups on a fractional basis: part-time C-suite roles, advisory seats and non-executive director positions. The model leans on a pro bono start, so a company can test an expert for 6 months before paying. Connectd says it has facilitated over 50,000 connections across the UK and US since 2019, which is its own claim. In July 2025 Forbes reported that Connectd raised $7 million from Anker Capital and Stena & Swerve.
Where it falls short
For a founder raising a round, the main limit is scope: the pages we reviewed describe talent matching, not an investor database or a way to email investors.
One advisor on Trustpilot called the training content "extremely basic" and said the pipeline of additional opportunities was "nowhere near what was implied." Another Trustpilot reviewer, in May 2026, described a refund refusal after a renewal with no notification email and a price rise without notice. Trustpilot's review summary also notes complaints about customer service, including last-minute call cancellations.
Connectd vs Round Funded
| Connectd | Round Funded | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Matching startups with fractional executives, advisors and NEDs | Finding and emailing investors for a round |
| Investor database | Not found in the pages we reviewed | 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators with a check in the last 6 months |
| Outreach | Intro calls with expert candidates | AI-drafted emails sent from your own Gmail |
| Pipeline | Not found in the pages we reviewed | Built-in pipeline, up to 2,500 investors on Round+ |
| Pricing | No published price found; membership fees cited by third parties | Round+ $99/month, Round Pro $249/month, Lifetime $899 one-time |
| Free option | Free registration and a 6-month pro bono expert | Free tools, plus a 3-day free trial on Round+ and Round Pro for first-time accounts, card required |
Connectd places part-time leaders inside a startup. Round Funded gets a founder in front of investors: a filtered database of active investors, Gmail outreach, a pipeline to track replies, and a Data Room that is free to build and share on every plan. If the goal is closing a round, Round Funded is the pick.
Best Connectd Alternatives in 2026
Round Funded. Round Funded covers 60,000+ active investors in 12 languages, AI-drafted outreach from your own Gmail and a built-in pipeline, with published prices from $99 a month. Our guide to the best tools to find investors walks through the process.
AngelList. AngelList is venture infrastructure: it forms and runs venture funds, rolling funds, scout funds and SPVs for fund managers. A 2026 explainer says it is not a marketplace where founders post pitches. To find and email investors, use Round Funded.
Angel Investment Network. Angel Investment Network is a pitch-listing site that says it was founded in 2004: you publish a pitch and angels browse it. To pick and email angels yourself, Round Funded is the pick.
Gust. Gust is a New York startup platform, founded in 2004, that sells Gust Launch: Delaware C-Corp incorporation, a cap table, SAFEs and option plans, priced from $450 to $3,500 a year. To find and email active investors directly, use Round Funded.
Boardio. Boardio is another advisor platform; its own comparison post says companies pay a success fee from €1,900, only if they hire. For investors rather than advisors, Round Funded is the pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Connectd cost?
No published price was found in the pages we reviewed. Startups get a matched expert for 6 months at no cost, per Connectd. Third parties say fees fall mainly on advisors, and one Trustpilot reviewer was quoted £2,400+VAT for a year of training. For a raise, Round Funded's published plans start at $99 a month.
Does Connectd have a free plan or trial?
Registration is free, and Connectd says a matched expert works with your startup for 6 months at no cost, with no fees or commitment. That covers expert matching, not investors. Round Funded has no free tier, but offers free tools and a 3-day free trial on Round+ and Round Pro for first-time accounts, card required, making it the pick for fundraising.
Is Connectd legit?
Connectd is a real company: Dealroom says it was founded in London in 2019 by Roei Samuel and Sam Luckett, and Forbes reported a $7 million raise in July 2025. Trustpilot complaints mention basic training, fewer opportunities than implied and a disputed renewal refund. It is a talent platform, so founders seeking capital should browse active investors on Round Funded instead.
Can Connectd help me find investors?
Connectd's early plan included matching investors and founders, but its current pages focus on fractional executives, advisors and NEDs. An investor database or outreach tool was not found in the pages we reviewed. To search 60,000+ active investors and email them from your own Gmail, Round Funded is the pick.
Is Round Funded affiliated with Connectd?
No. Round Funded is not affiliated with Connectd. This page is an independent comparison built from Connectd's public pages and published third-party sources, with facts as of October 2026. Round Funded is a separate fundraising platform for founders who want to find and contact investors, and it is the pick for that job.
Final Word
Connectd is a fractional talent platform for part-time leaders and board roles; it does not give you a list of investors to contact. When the round is the priority, Round Funded gives you active investors, Gmail outreach and a pipeline in one place.
