CIENCE claimed the #1 spot on Clutch's B2B lead generation list for the third consecutive year, backed by 100+ verified client reviews. Now a graph8 company, CIENCE replaced outsourced SDR teams with Forward Deployed Engineers and AI-powered targeting across 300M+ lead records, cutting cost-per-meeting 40-60%.
CIENCE held the #1 position on Clutch’s B2B lead generation companies list for three consecutive years, backed by over 100 verified client reviews and a track record spanning 2,500+ companies across 250+ industries. No other lead generation provider matched that combination of longevity, scale, and client satisfaction. So why did the #1 lead gen company in the world rebuild the very thing it was #1 at?
From Thomas Cornelius, Founder & CEO, graph8 (formerly Founder, CIENCE): “Being ranked #1 in a category for three years gives you unparalleled insight into where it’s breaking. We saw cost-per-meeting rising across every client. The problem wasn’t execution — it was that we’d hit the ceiling of what human-powered outbound can do efficiently.”
Last Refreshed: March 2026 — updated to reflect CIENCE’s evolution as a graph8 company, current pricing, and the Forward Deployed Engineer model.
What Being #1 Taught Us
Clutch’s selection methodology is rigorous — companies are ranked across services offered, former clients, case studies, awards received, and client ratings. Earning the top spot once is notable. Holding it for three years straight meant CIENCE had built something that consistently outperformed every competitor in the category.
But holding the #1 position also gave us a front-row seat to the model’s decay. We were serving clients across 200+ B2B industries, running thousands of outbound campaigns simultaneously, and watching the same pattern repeat everywhere: the effort required to generate each meeting was increasing, quarter over quarter, across virtually every client.
The problem wasn’t execution — our 100+ five-star reviews proved that. The problem was structural. Human-powered outbound at scale requires linear headcount growth. More campaigns mean more SDRs, more training, more management overhead. Being #1 in a category that was hitting a ceiling didn’t feel like winning — it felt like a warning.
Does This Sound Familiar?
You’ve probably experienced the same deterioration in your own pipeline. Your team is sending more cold emails than ever, but response rates keep falling. Your cost per meeting was $400 two years ago — now it’s $800 or $1,200. Your lead generation strategy hasn’t fundamentally changed, but the results keep getting worse.
Maybe you’ve tried adding tools. Another AI-powered platform, another intent data provider, another sequencing tool. Your tech stack grows but your pipeline doesn’t. The SDRs are working harder than ever, and you can see it in the burnout, the turnover, the steadily declining meeting-to-opportunity conversion rates.
This isn’t a people problem. It’s a model problem. And no amount of optimization within the old model fixes it.
“Thanks to CIENCE Technologies’ efforts, the client has seen a 500% monthly increase in their new sales appointments.” — Bryce Garoutte, Sr. VP, Silicon Valley Insight
If you’re still running lead generation the same way you did three years ago, your cost per meeting has probably doubled. The market changed — your model needs to change with it.
From People to Platform
We were #1 in lead gen services. Now we’re redefining what lead gen means. When CIENCE became a graph8 company, we didn’t just update the branding — we replaced the entire operating model.
The new model is built on Forward Deployed Engineers. If you know how Palantir works — embedding engineers with proprietary technology directly into client environments to solve problems that no off-the-shelf product can touch — that’s what graph8 does for go-to-market. Instead of hiring SDR teams who follow scripts, we deploy engineers who combine graph8’s AI platform with deep sales development expertise.
Here’s what that looks like in practice. Our Forward Deployed Engineers deploy against 300M+ validated lead records, build multichannel campaigns across email, LinkedIn, phone, and programmatic advertising, and optimize continuously based on real conversion data. The data-driven approach that earned us the #1 ranking is still there — but it’s powered by AI infrastructure instead of headcount.
The result: cost-per-meeting drops 40-60% in the first two quarters. The same quality of pipeline — verified by 200+ reviews and a 4.6/5 Capterra rating — delivered through a fundamentally more efficient model.
“They definitely supersede our internal capabilities.” — Candice Long, Marketing Director, Learning Ally
Why This Matters Now
In 2026, “lead generation” as a service category is splitting. On one side: commodity providers sending blast emails that land in spam. On the other: engineering-driven platforms like graph8 that treat pipeline generation as a technical discipline.
CIENCE, as a graph8 company, chose the engineering side. Our 668% three-year revenue growth and 4x Inc. 5000 recognition proved we could scale the old way. Our three consecutive years at #1 on Clutch proved we could outperform the competition. But graph8 proves we know when to stop playing a game we’ve already won and start building the next one.
Engagements start at $5K one-time setup + $2,499/mo for the fully managed program — dedicated Forward Deployed Engineer, full campaign execution, and access to the graph8 data infrastructure. Teams that want platform access without managed services start at $499/mo. Either way, the graph8 platform learns from every campaign across our entire client base — which means your second month is smarter than your first.
The Clutch #1 ranking proved we were the best at lead gen services. Graph8 is what lead gen looks like when it’s not a service anymore.
Get a Free GTM Diagnostic
When you reach out, our Forward Deployed Engineers run a full diagnostic on your targeting, channel mix, and conversion rates. They’ll show you what your true cost-per-meeting looks like, where your pipeline is leaking, and how graph8’s AI platform would change the economics — with specific numbers, not generalizations.
Whether or not you work with us, you’ll walk away with a clear picture of your pipeline math.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did CIENCE earn the #1 spot on Clutch for lead generation?
Clutch ranks companies based on services offered, client portfolio, case studies, awards received, and verified client reviews. CIENCE held the #1 position for three consecutive years, backed by 100+ verified reviews from clients across 250+ B2B industries and recognition including the Clutch 100 and Clutch 1000 awards.
What’s the difference between CIENCE’s old model and the graph8 model?
The old CIENCE model deployed human SDR teams who followed scripts and sequences to generate leads. The graph8 model deploys Forward Deployed Engineers who combine AI-powered targeting, 300M+ validated lead records, and multichannel orchestration — including digital advertising — to build pipeline at a fraction of the cost. Clients see cost-per-meeting drop 40-60%.
How much does it cost to work with CIENCE today?
Engagements start at $5K one-time setup + $2,499/mo, which includes a dedicated Forward Deployed Engineer, access to graph8’s AI platform and data infrastructure, and multichannel campaign execution. This is significantly less than traditional outsourced SDR programs that typically run $12K-$20K per month per rep.
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