• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Business & Finance Entrepreneurship

Yale Students Raised $3M in 14 Days for ‘Anti-Facebook’ Startup todayheadline

April 10, 2025
in Entrepreneurship
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
0
Yale Students Raised $3M in 14 Days for 'Anti-Facebook' Startup
5
SHARES
10
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Speed is everything in startups, and Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow learned that firsthand. In just 14 days, the 21-year-old Yale juniors raised $3 million for their AI-powered networking platform, Series.

But their story goes beyond a fast fundraising round — it’s about two young Black founders navigating an industry where people like them are still underrepresented.

“We’re 6’5″, Black and technical — a direct foil to the Harvard story,” Johnson says, referencing Facebook’s origin story. “And that difference is the reason Series tells a new story of how people connect online.”

Johnson and Hargrow jumped into the world of entrepreneurship with the deep belief that artificial intelligence can reimagine how people build relationships online. They believed that professional networking faces a major issue because social media platforms are filled with meaningless numbers and futile connections.

Series was born from that belief: a platform built to challenge legacy social networks by facilitating meaningful connections via AI.

Related: One Question Changed This Entrepreneur’s Life — Now She’s Leading a Movement for Women in Music

‘Serendipitous’ luck

Johnson, a computer science and economics major, and Hargrow, a neuroscience major, weren’t going into entrepreneurship totally blind. They hosted The Founder Series podcast, where they interviewed successful founders and entrepreneurs, focusing on college entrepreneurship.

One common theme emerged in those interviews: the importance of luck.

“Luck is what led to their first funder, the first customer, their first investor,” Johnson tells Entrepreneur. “So we thought, this is somewhat serendipitous, but it ends up being the difference-maker. How could we engineer that luck?“

That idea became the foundation for Series. Their platform uses AI-driven agents, or “AI friends,” to facilitate introductions. Rather than relying on cold outreach or chance meetings, like one would do on LinkedIn, Series’ users train their AI agents on iMessage to understand their needs and connect them with the right people in their extended network.

In other words, users can text and train their “AI friend” and describe the kind of connection they need — whether it’s a cofounder, investor, mentor or friend — and the AI then searches the Series network to find a suitable match.

Related: How AI Is Democratizing Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The anti-Facebook or the next metric of human connection?

Series offers a fresh, “anti-Facebook” solution to social networking. It’s not trying to be a newer, cooler Facebook — it’s trying to fix what Facebook and other platforms get wrong. While traditional social media focuses on sharing content and posting about yourself, Series is built around private introductions. “Social media is great for broadcasting, but it doesn’t necessarily help you meet the right people at the right time,” Johnson says.

Image credit: Series

Rather than broadcasting to followers or curating content, Series is building what Johnson describes as “the next iteration of human connection.” Traditional platforms, he says, are rooted in networks and presentation.

“You’re posting pictures on Instagram, you’re posting videos on TikTok, and you’re posting job posts on LinkedIn… and that’s where you essentially have this micro-influencer syndrome,” Johnson says.

In other words, existing platforms — whether intentionally or not — pressure users to appear polished and curate posts. Series’ users interact with sentient AI friends who “can get to know you on an intimate level” and allow for true authenticity.

Rather than projecting an image, users can receive guidance and support based on their true personalities. They can then be matched with real people who might become mentors or friends.

“We’re not trying to replace real-world relationships — we’re trying to make it easier for people to find the right relationships in the first place,” Hargrow says.

Related: Is Social Media Making You Less Social and More Lonely?

The fundraising battle

Johnson and Hargrow come from different parts of the country — Irvine, California, and Queens, New York, respectively — but found common ground at Yale, where both were drawn to entrepreneurship.

Johnson has been building things since childhood, including making walking sticks for visually impaired people when he was 8. Hargrow, a former athlete, saw startup life as the closest thing to the grind and unpredictability of sports.

The two understand how to tell a compelling story in order to sell a startup idea. What started with cold emails and warm intros quickly turned into a crash course in pitching, learning from initial “nos” and figuring out how to sell more than just a product.

They stuck with their core and positioned Series as the next step in human connection. They also learned to present Series with “ethical confidence.”

“If I am approaching a girl, I’m not going to tell her, ‘Well, I’m okay, but there are a lot of hot guys out there as well,'” Hargrow says. “I’m going to find a way to ethically tell her I’m the best guy ever.”

Image credit: Series

At Yale, the two have immersed themselves in the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, joining startup clubs and networking with other founders. They quickly realized that success wasn’t just about intelligence or hard work. Access played a huge role.

“Being at Yale gives us an unprecedented level of access to networks we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Hargrow says.

One pivotal connection led to Anne Lee Skates, a well-known Bay Area investor. After an impulsive decision to take a flight 36 hours later to California and a dinner that sealed the deal, she became their lead investor.

Then, momentum picked up. They met with VC groups in the Bay Area, and within two weeks, they secured $3 million in funding, attracting investors eager to bet on the future of AI-powered networking.

“That dinner changed everything,” Hargrow says. “I’ll always remember it as a million-dollar dinner, quite literally.”

Related: I Wish I Received This Advice as a Young Entrepreneur

‘Don’t write anyone off’

For Johnson and Hargrow, two young Black founders, building Series has always been about more than just tech. It’s about representation, access and creating the kind of connections they wish they’d had as children.

“When I was younger, I didn’t see a lot of people who I could look up to because they didn’t look like me or build what I was building,” Johnson says. “I can see my childhood self looking up to me now.”

As communication shifts toward AI-assisted interactions, Johnson and Hargrow are betting that people will embrace a platform that prioritizes genuine connection instead of over-curated online personas.

“Don’t write anyone off,” Hargrow says. “In building a platform that relies on you literally not taking someone’s face value but actually getting to who they are… that requires someone who is down with the idea of never writing anyone off.”

This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young business owner.

Tags: AI toolsAntiFacebookBusiness IdeasBusiness ProcesscollaborationdaysEntrepreneursEntrepreneurshipFundraisingGeneration ZGrowing a BusinessManagementPitchesPitching InvestorsraisedSocial MediaStarting a BusinessstartupstudentsThought LeaderstodayheadlineYaleYoung Entrepreneur
Previous Post

‘Embarrassing’: Republican rips ‘ineffective’ Mike Johnson as ‘right-wing opposition’ grows todayheadline

Next Post

Republican-controlled US House tries again to advance Trump tax cuts bill todayheadline

Related Posts

Focus on Your Health — or Your Startup Won’t Survive todayheadline

May 23, 2025
0
Subscribe Now

Entrepreneur+ Subscriber-Only Event | May 28: How This Founder Sold 3 Million Units of His Toy Ball Idea todayheadline

May 22, 2025
4
Next Post
Republican-controlled US House tries again to advance Trump tax cuts bill

Republican-controlled US House tries again to advance Trump tax cuts bill todayheadline

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0

Focus on Your Health — or Your Startup Won’t Survive todayheadline

May 23, 2025

Sri Lanka EDB, New Zealand high commission share insights on export market access todayheadline

May 23, 2025
Scientists Discover New Dwarf Planet in Solar System, Far Beyond Pluto : ScienceAlert

Scientists Discover New Dwarf Planet in Solar System, Far Beyond Pluto : ScienceAlert todayheadline

May 23, 2025

Senate sets up early June vote on Isaacman nomination to lead NASA

May 23, 2025

Recent News

Focus on Your Health — or Your Startup Won’t Survive todayheadline

May 23, 2025
0

Sri Lanka EDB, New Zealand high commission share insights on export market access todayheadline

May 23, 2025
5
Scientists Discover New Dwarf Planet in Solar System, Far Beyond Pluto : ScienceAlert

Scientists Discover New Dwarf Planet in Solar System, Far Beyond Pluto : ScienceAlert todayheadline

May 23, 2025
5

Senate sets up early June vote on Isaacman nomination to lead NASA

May 23, 2025
3

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Uscb financial holdings CEO sells $502,200 in stock todayheadline

May 23, 2025

Focus on Your Health — or Your Startup Won’t Survive todayheadline

May 23, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co