Last autumn, the social analytics company SocialRank transferred ownership of its product and operations to Trufan, enabling its team to pursue a new endeavor: a dedicated professional social network. Today, they are formally introducing Upstream to the public.

According to CEO Alex Taub, the intention isn’t to compete with LinkedIn – he recognizes that, due to established network effects, “attempting to surpass LinkedIn would be an insurmountable challenge.”

Rather, the aim is to develop a platform that addresses a distinct requirement. While LinkedIn functions primarily as an online professional profile and contact directory, Upstream is designed to facilitate the development of connections and relationships crucial for career advancement – a need that has become particularly apparent with the reduction in large-scale in-person gatherings and conferences (although efforts are underway to create comparable virtual alternatives, such as those at TechCrunch).

“This platform is intended to be the central hub for your professional social interactions,” Taub explained.

Upstream’s initial offering centered on professional groups and communities, enabling users to submit what the company termed Professional Asks, such as requests for candidates for specific roles or requests for introductions to individuals at other organizations.

Taub indicated that the platform gained significant traction with the introduction of Upstream Events, where a guest speaker would present, and attendees would then be paired for brief, individual video conversations with fellow event participants.

Although the team has developed several products (some of which have been previously covered), they are now detailing the overarching vision and simultaneously launching new functionalities.

Previously, communities were accessed through private, unlisted links; however, users can now explore all available communities within a dedicated Discovery section. Community administrators will continue to maintain control over membership by approving or denying new join requests.

A new iteration of Events, called Office Hours, is also being introduced, allowing users to designate specific times for virtual one-on-one sessions with individuals interested in connecting with them. These sessions can be made publicly available or remain unlisted for sharing via email or within specific communities.

Indeed, Taub’s post lists over 30 individuals who are already offering office hours on Upstream, including New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz, Foursquare co-founder/Expa partner Naveen Selvadurai and Amazon Photos Head of Product Nate Westheimer.

Upstream also announced that it has secured an undisclosed amount of pre-seed funding from 8-Bit Capital, Human Ventures, Basement Fund, NYVP and a number of angel investors.

Looking forward, Taub stated that the primary focus will be on launching a web-based version of Upstream (currently accessible through a mobile application) and continuing to develop both live and asynchronous experiences, along with features that offer tangible benefits.

“Our vision is for professionals to initially join Upstream for an event or Ask, and then remain engaged by the valuable opportunities that make Upstream a stimulating and rewarding platform,” he stated.