If you’re tired of manually checking for news about companies you care about, you’re not alone. Whether you’re an investor, founder, recruiter, or just trying to keep tabs on competitors, automating updates saves you hours. The good news is Crunchbase can do a lot of the heavy lifting—if you set it up right. This guide will walk you through exactly how to get automated alerts for company updates, and flag what’s actually useful (and what’s just noise).
Why Use Crunchbase Alerts (and When Not To)
Crunchbase is built for tracking company moves—funding, leadership changes, acquisitions, and more. Automated alerts can clue you in fast, without clogging your inbox or making you log in constantly.
Great for you if: - You want news about specific companies—funding, leadership, M&A, etc. - You need to monitor competitors or prospects for your job. - You want signals when a startup gets hot (or not).
Not so great if: - You want instant breaking news (Crunchbase isn’t always the fastest). - You need deep detail or analysis—these are summaries and data points, not investigative reports. - You hate email, because that’s the main alert channel.
Bottom line: Alerts are a solid “set and forget” tool, but don’t expect miracles. Treat them as your early-warning system—then go deeper when something interesting pops up.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
- A Crunchbase account: Free accounts work, but paid plans (Pro or Enterprise) unlock more features, like advanced filters and saved searches.
- A list of companies or types of companies you want to track.
- An email address you actually check. That’s where alerts go.
That’s it. No API keys, no integrations (unless you want to get fancy later).
Step 1: Create or Log Into Your Crunchbase Account
If you haven’t already, head to Crunchbase and sign up for a free account. You’ll need to verify your email. If you already have an account, just log in.
Pro tip: Free is fine for tracking a few companies. If you’re tracking dozens, or want more control, consider the Pro trial (but set a calendar reminder to cancel if you don’t want to pay).
Step 2: Find the Companies You Want to Track
You can track individual companies or get alerts on groups that match certain criteria.
To track a single company:
- Use the search bar at the top to find the company (e.g., “Stripe”).
- Click the company name to view its profile page.
To track multiple companies or types:
- Use the advanced search or filters (e.g., “AI startups in California that raised funding in the last year”).
- Save the search (more on this in Step 4).
What works: Crunchbase’s search is pretty good—filters include industry, location, funding, number of employees, etc.
What doesn’t: It can miss companies if their data isn’t updated, or if you get too clever with filters.
Step 3: Set Up Alerts for a Single Company
This is the fastest way to get updates if you have a short list.
- On the company profile page, look for a “Follow” or “Track” button (usually near the top right).
- Click “Follow.” You’ll get a prompt to confirm receiving email alerts.
- That’s it—Crunchbase will email you when there are new updates (funding, acquisitions, leadership changes, etc.).
Honest take: The alerts are basic summaries. You’ll see headlines and links back to Crunchbase for details. You won’t get swamped, but you also won’t get every little update—just the big stuff.
Step 4: Set Up Alerts for Groups Using Saved Searches (Pro Feature)
If you want to track a type of company or get alerts based on criteria (say, “all Series A rounds in fintech this month”), you’ll need Crunchbase Pro.
- Click on “Advanced Search” in the top menu.
- Build your search using filters—industry, location, funding stage, recent activity, etc.
- When you’re happy with the results, click “Save Search.”
- Name your search (e.g., “Fintech Series A, US”).
- Choose “Get Alerts” or “Email Me When Results Change” (wording may vary).
- Set the frequency—daily, weekly, or instant (depending on your plan and Crunchbase’s options).
What works: Saved searches are a power user feature. If you’re doing deal sourcing, recruiting, or market research, this is gold.
What doesn’t: Free accounts can’t use saved search alerts. Also, the more specific your search, the less likely you’ll get regular alerts. Too broad, and you’ll get spammed.
Step 5: Fine-Tune Your Alert Settings
Don’t just “set and forget” blindly. Tweak your alert settings so you get signal, not noise.
- Go to your account settings (click your profile icon, then “Settings” or “Notifications”).
- Review which companies and saved searches you’re following.
- Adjust frequency or unsubscribe from anything that’s not useful.
- You can always pause or delete alerts if your focus changes.
Keep it lean: If your inbox starts filling up with alerts you never open, you’ll train yourself to ignore all of them. Less is more.
Step 6: (Optional) Integrate Alerts with Other Tools
The default is email. If you want to get fancy, there are a few options—mostly for Pro/Enterprise users:
- Zapier: Connect Crunchbase to Slack, Google Sheets, or other apps. For example, you can get alerts in a team Slack channel.
- Browser notifications: Some browsers or third-party extensions let you route Crunchbase alerts as pop-ups.
- APIs: If you’re technical and on an Enterprise plan, you can pull Crunchbase data directly, but this is overkill for most.
Reality check: For 90% of people, email is easiest. Don’t overcomplicate unless you really need to.
Step 7: Actually Use the Alerts
This sounds obvious, but the point is not just to collect updates—it’s to act on them.
- When you get an alert, click through to see what actually changed.
- If it’s important, follow up immediately—connect with a founder, adjust your sales pitch, or share with your team.
- If you see a pattern (like a competitor raising a big round), decide what, if anything, you’ll do differently.
Don’t just read—respond. That’s where the value is.
What to Ignore (and Common Pitfalls)
- Don’t track every company you’ve ever heard of. You’ll get overwhelmed.
- Crunchbase isn’t perfect. Sometimes updates lag by a few days, or you’ll miss minor changes.
- Alerts ≠ analysis. Use them as a starting point, not the whole story.
- Free vs. Pro: Free is fine for a handful of companies. If you outgrow it, upgrade—but only if you’ll actually use the extra features.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Tweak as You Go
Automated alerts from Crunchbase are a great way to stay in the loop without becoming a slave to news feeds. Start with just a few key companies or one strong saved search. As you learn what’s useful (and what’s just inbox filler), refine your alerts. Don’t try to track everything—focus on what moves the needle for you, and let the rest go.
Set it up once, keep it lean, and only make it fancier if you truly need to. That’s the way to stay informed—without drowning in updates.