Editor’s note: Visual.ly is the latest addition to the CrunchBase Spotlight Program which highlights the best applications and research built on the CrunchBase dataset.  Contact us if you’d like to be part of the program.

San Francisco-based data visualization and infographics startup Visual.ly, in collaboration with Milan-based design agency Accurat and graphic designer Ben Willers, released The Startup Universe – an interactive guide that shows the network of startups, founders, and venture capitalists found in CrunchBase. Using the CrunchBase API, Visual.ly incorporated more than 12,000 venture capitalists, 29,000 startups, and 34,000 founders to create this web of relationships. Here is the home page where the top 50 startups by category can be seen or a simple search can be done.

Screen Shot 2013-07-10 at 10.50.35 AM

Doing a search on Twilio, brings you to the following page:

  • The dark red bubble represents Twilio and each ring represents a funding round, radius is based on funding amount
  • Investors for each round (ring) are connected to the left, founders are shown to the right
  • CrunchBase description and link at the bottom of the page

Screen Shot 2013-07-10 at 9.51.47 AMClicking on 500 Startups, loads the following page:

  • Timeline of investments by 500 Startups
  • Adjustable timeline to focus on a specific time frame
  • Company Founders in chronological order are listed on the right
  • Bubbles can be highlighted for more information

Screen Shot 2013-07-10 at 9.44.50 AMVisual.ly’s The Startup Universe is a great visualization of CrunchBase that I encourage users to check it out.

We’re excited that the community continues to create new innovative ways to visualize our data. Have something to share? Why not let us feature it through the CrunchBase Spotlight Program.

  • Originally published July 10, 2013, updated April 26, 2023