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Portfolio
One operating company, built in New Orleans: Federated Sample, and the Fulcrum platform underneath it.
Portfolio
Federated Sample
Jackson Square Group is dedicated to building market research technologies that create efficiencies and automate processes. Our first software release, Federated Sample, fills a need within the online sample marketplace to connect both buyers and sellers in an integrated platform to deliver successful projects.
It was the group’s first software release, and it became the operating business.
At a glance
- PlatformFulcrum
- Supply partners, 2013200+ in 65 countries
- Samples delivered, 2013about 10 million
- Employees, 201450
- Customers at rebrand500+
The product
Fulcrum
Fulcrum connected buyers and sellers of online sample directly: a buyer described the audience, the platform found it across a network of suppliers, and the whole exchange ran in one place instead of by email.
By 2013, more than 200 supply partners in 65 countries were delivering roughly 10 million samples through it.
“Years ago, if you were planning to fly somewhere, you could contact a travel agency to purchase tickets or search each airline to compare prices. At Federated, we built ‘Expedia.’ We have a centralized platform to find the sample information you need in one place.”
Timeline
From a seed round to a rebrand
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2010
Jackson Square Group is founded
The company launches in New Orleans with a letter from Patrick Comer and one product: Federated Sample.
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2010
Seed round, ten hires
Federated Sample starts with $350,000 in seed money and hires ten people in its first year.
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2011
Second round
More than $2 million raised, with Louisiana’s Angel Investor Tax Credit.
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2013
Scale
More than 200 supply partners in 65 countries deliver roughly 10 million samples through Fulcrum.
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2014
Fifty people
The company marks its fourth anniversary with 50 employees.
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2017
Rebrand and a $60M round
Federated Sample becomes Lucid, raising $60 million led by North Bridge Growth Equity, with 500+ customers.
2017
Federated Sample becomes Lucid
In April 2017 the operating company rebranded as Lucid and announced a $60 million round led by North Bridge Growth Equity — its first outside funding since 2011. It reported more than 500 customers and revenue growth of 70 percent year over year for three years.