Costanoa Ventures, a venture capital firm, has supported founders for the past 12 years who have rethought how business is done. Hona is a perfect example. They reimagined a real-life problem: the complexity of processes and the need for more communication between law firm clients. Hona, based in Orem Utah, has created a product which facilitates better communication with clients and law firms throughout the entire legal procedure. The result is happier clients and more profitable law firms. We are proud to announce that Hona’s Series-A was led by us, with participation from Ludlow Ventures Soma Capital, and Y Combinator.

Lack of communication is the number one cause for attorney bar complaints in the United States. This statistic stood out to us as we did our research. How could these law firms struggle to communicate in an age where technology can assist?

Manny Griffiths felt this pain after his wife was in a car accident. Over two years, they were both entangled in a maze and had poor communication with the legal system. This is a common experience among thousands of Americans. He knew that technology could solve the frustrations of both clients and lawyers.

Client communications are a major source of stress for law firms, especially during legal proceedings. Legal teams spend 30 hours per month on redundant and time-consuming communication. Clients call firms frequently for case updates, legal clarifications or general administrative inquiries that drain firm resources while not actually moving the case forward. Lawyers must be able to communicate effectively in order to move cases forward and keep their clients informed.