byUs.com may be the “next-generation Angie’s List”

Recommendation sites are a dime a dozen but most people still prefer referrals from friends, especially with services where there are significant risks involved. This is why byUs.com wants to create an invite-only platform where users can find recommendations for services where there is a “high cost of failure” from a network of trusted friends and associates. Described by its founders as the “next-generation Angie’s List”, byUs.com has managed to raise over $1.5 million in angel funding from 40 different investors.

There are tons of recommendation sites out there, but for services where the stakes are much higher than a meal–like pediatricians or financial advisors–a lot of people still prefer referrals from friends. But that’s a challenge if you are, for example, new to an area. New site byUs.com wants to mimic the way word-of-mouth referrals work by providing an invite-only platform where people can find recommendations for medical professionals, general contractors and childcare from a personalized network of friends and associates. The site is currently taking signups and plans to launch its Bay Area beta version in early 2014.