# CodeSignal

CodeSignal is a technology company that provides a technical assessment and learning platform for software developers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, CodeSignal offers coding tests, assessments, and learning platforms designed to measure and improve coding skills.

## History

CodeSignal was founded in 2015 by Tigran Sloyan, Aram Shatakhtsyan, and Felix Desroches. Initially launched as CodeFights, it began as a platform for developers to improve their coding skills through competitive programming challenges, allowing users to compete in head-to-head timed coding battles.
In 2017, CodeFights introduced an interview practice mode, helping users prepare for technical interviews with practice questions and assessments. In 2018, the company rebranded to CodeSignal to reflect its shift towards providing assessment tools for technical recruiting and introduced the Coding Score, a standardized measure for developers to showcase their coding abilities to potential employers.

### Fundraising History

In October 2020, CodeSignal announced that it had raised $25 million in a Series B funding round led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Capital One Ventures and CM Ventures. The funding was aimed at expanding the company's technical assessment platform and scaling its team.
In September 2021, CodeSignal secured $50 million in a Series C funding round led by Index Ventures, with additional participation from Menlo Ventures and Headline. The company stated that the funds would be used to further develop its technical assessment solutions and invest in research and development.

## Products and Services

CodeSignal offers a suite of assessment and educational tools designed to evaluate and improve coding skills.

### Technical Assessment Platform

The company's assessment platform provides standardized coding tests, real-world coding environments, and advanced task-based simulations. These assessments are used by companies to streamline their technical hiring processes and identify qualified candidates efficiently.
Users can select from a library of coding tasks, create custom coding questions, or utilize assessment frameworks like the General Coding Assessment (GCA), which provides a standardized measure of coding skills. CodeSignal integrates with applicant tracking systems (ATS) such as Greenhouse and Lever, allowing seamless integration into existing hiring workflows.

### Educational Platform

In 2024, CodeSignal expanded its educational offerings with the launch of CodeSignal Learn. The platform includes an AI-powered learning assistant named Cosmo, a space corgi that provides personalized guidance and feedback to help users improve their coding skills. CodeSignal Learn aims to make learning to code more accessible and is compared to Duolingo for its gamified and personalized approach.

### AI Benchmarking Report

In October 2024, CodeSignal released an AI Benchmarking Report that compared the coding skills of several advanced AI models with those of human software engineers. The report evaluated AI models by running them through real-world coding assessments used by companies to screen candidates, focusing on general programming, refactoring, and problem-solving skills.
The findings revealed that while AI models demonstrated impressive capabilities in solving coding tasks, top-performing human candidates still outperformed them in both average score and solve rate. The report emphasized the continued importance of human intuition and creativity in software engineering, particularly in complex problem-solving scenarios.

## University Ranking Report

CodeSignal publishes an annual University Ranking Report, evaluating the coding skills of computer science students across various universities. The report ranks universities based on the performance of their students in CodeSignal's General Coding Assessment. In the 2024 report, Rice University was ranked among the top three in the nation for students' coding skills.

## Mascot

The company's mascot is Cosmo, a space corgi that represents CodeSignal's commitment to guiding developers on their coding journey. Cosmo is featured in the company's marketing materials and educational content, serving as a symbol of support for users learning to code.