About
Insights without exposure.
People who hold sensitive spreadsheets should not have to upload them somewhere just to get an answer.
Why CLAIR exists
Many tools that answer questions about a spreadsheet ask you to send it to someone else's servers first. For a lot of real data, that is a hard no: a research ethics board, a data-use agreement, a hospital or school policy, or plain good sense about a client's numbers.
CLAIR is a desktop app that does the work on your own computer instead. You bring in a file, ask in plain English, and get an answer you can check, without uploading the data by default.
It is early access software, free while we learn how it holds up on real work. It is built by one person, who reads every message sent to the addresses below.
Who builds it
Raaif Yousuf
Founder and sole developer
Raaif started CLAIR in January 2026 to give researchers and small teams a way to analyze sensitive data without learning a statistics package or uploading it to a cloud AI tool. He has run more than 50 customer discovery interviews, and CLAIR's early users include a principal investigator at Vanderbilt and a small-business owner.
- Studying
- Computer science at Vanderbilt University, graduating May 2027
- Based in
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Before CLAIR
- Software engineer at Abako Technologies, building a calculator emulator and exam software; lead researcher on a 30-person engineering education study at UT Dallas
- Also
- Research software for a genomics lab at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; fixes merged into open-source projects including XGBoost
- Programs
- NSF I-Corps Ideator (twice), Wond'ry Builder at Vanderbilt
CLAIR is an independent project run by Raaif as a sole proprietor. It is not a Vanderbilt University product, and mentioning the university does not mean it endorses CLAIR.
Investing in early-stage software or privacy-first AI? Read the investor overview.
What it is built around
Local first
Your files, your questions and your results stay on your computer by default. Once CLAIR is set up, analysis keeps working with the network disconnected, as long as the licence has been renewed within the last 14 days.
It shows its work
An answer to a question about your data comes with the rows and the calculation behind it. Verified means the number came from a calculation that ran on your data and passed CLAIR's automatic checks. It does not prove the question was understood as you meant it.
Honest about limits
When CLAIR cannot match a word, or a number rests on a small group, it says so instead of covering the gap. We would rather tell you we do not know.
No hype
We describe what the app does and stop there. Whether your data may be used with it is your institution's call, and we will not pretend otherwise.
The details are on the privacy page.
Contact
These are role addresses, read by people. Pick the one closest to what you need.
- [email protected]
- Questions, bugs and feedback. Start here.
- [email protected]
- Anything about your data or our privacy policy.
- [email protected]
- Reporting a security concern.
- [email protected]
- Terms, licences and legal notices.
- [email protected]
- Investors, partnerships and press. Goes straight to the founder.
Having trouble with the app? The help page may already have the answer.
The Mac version is expected in late October 2026. Windows is available now.Free during early access, email sign-in. Mac expected in late October 2026.Free during early access for Windows 10 and 11. Mac expected in late October 2026.