Founder Collective

Founded in 2009, Founder Collective is a venture capital firm with headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and an additional office in New York City. The firm specializes in seed-stage investments, primarily targeting technology-related companies across the United States. It is a Registered Investment Adviser and manages approximately $50 million in assets. Founder Collective operates several funds, including early-stage venture capital funds co-managed with Koa Labs. While the firm is open to various industries, it shows a preference for investments with an information technology component. The firm's approach is driven by a team of successful entrepreneurs who leverage their expertise to identify promising opportunities in the technology sector.

Elliot Cohen

Founder Partner

Joe DeFilippi

CFO

David Frankel

General Partner

Jack Groetzinger

Founder Partner

Amanda Herson

Seed Investor

Zach Klein

Founder Partner

Eric Paley

General Partner

Dan Sommer

Founder Partner

Brent Willess

Principal

Past deals in Crowdsourcing

AnyQuestion

Seed Round in 2022
Developer of a social video application designed to connect knowledge seekers with information and insight on the planet. The company's application provides unfiltered access to experts from different fields such as sports and health, allows user interaction with direct responses to build community, and upvoting of experts' answers by consumers, enabling customers to ask questions and get answers from experts at any time.

Tales

Venture Round in 2021
Developer of a content publishing platform through generative artificial intelligence tools, new storytelling formats, and ownership models, designed to offer budding writers a space to showcase their creative skills. The company's platform lets creators make books, comics, games, audiobooks, and everything in between, enabling content creators to rapidly pilot episodic stories and iterate off feedback or metrics to improve performance.

Storetasker

Series A in 2020
Operator on an online web developing platform intended to connect users with freelance web developers. The company's platform offers on-demand expert help for websites, blogs, or online stores as well as offers content creation, theme development, mobile optimization, custom styling, and logo designing services, enabling business owners to browse, find, and contact freelance web designers to create their digital websites.

Perksy

Seed Round in 2019
Perksy, Inc. is a consumer research platform that provides brands with valuable insights through an online and mobile-based application. Founded in 2015 and based in New York, Perksy allows users to create custom research questions and analyze feedback from respondents, offering companies a way to enhance customer engagement and improve their marketing strategies. The platform rewards users with points for their opinions, incentivizing participation. Additionally, Perksy offers an enterprise-grade solution known as Perksy Alpha, which facilitates detailed analysis and delivers targeted insights. Through its innovative approach, Perksy aims to bridge the gap between companies and consumers, ultimately supporting brand growth and customer satisfaction.

Matter

Seed Round in 2019
Matter is a new way to gather professional feedback. Here’s how it’s different... No boss required™: Take control and receive feedback on your own terms The data is yours: Your profile goes with you as your career progresses Your team and beyond: Hear from respected peers across your industry Track progress over time: Level up your unique skills and make feedback fun

Ask Lorem

Seed Round in 2018
Ask Lorem is a software development company based in New York, founded in 2016. It operates an on-demand freelance marketplace that connects non-technical business owners with skilled web developers and designers around the globe. This platform enables users to find high-quality freelance assistance quickly, often in less than ten minutes. By facilitating these connections, Ask Lorem aims to empower modern business owners and promote the freelance economy as a viable future of work. The company has received funding from prominent investors, including Flybridge Capital and Techstars.

CultureIQ

Venture Round in 2018
CultureIQ, Inc. specializes in culture management software that assists organizations in assessing and enhancing their workplace culture. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in New York, the company offers tools that enable continuous employee feedback through customizable surveys, including pulse and trend questions. By analyzing employee responses, CultureIQ helps organizations track key culture metrics and derive actionable insights. The platform facilitates effective communication of results and supports the implementation of culture initiatives, ultimately aiming to improve employee engagement and organizational success.

Ask Lorem

Seed Round in 2017
Ask Lorem is a software development company based in New York, founded in 2016. It operates an on-demand freelance marketplace that connects non-technical business owners with skilled web developers and designers around the globe. This platform enables users to find high-quality freelance assistance quickly, often in less than ten minutes. By facilitating these connections, Ask Lorem aims to empower modern business owners and promote the freelance economy as a viable future of work. The company has received funding from prominent investors, including Flybridge Capital and Techstars.

Crayon

Seed Round in 2016
Crayon, Inc. is a market intelligence company that provides businesses with tools to track, analyze, and respond to external market activities. Its platform allows users to capture and assess information from over 7 million sources, utilizing artificial intelligence to prioritize insights. Crayon's offerings include an intelligence and analysis platform, a marketing intelligence tool, and a website inspiration platform, all designed to support informed decision-making. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company was originally established as M80 Labs, Inc. and rebranded to Crayon, Inc. in June 2017.

CultureIQ

Seed Round in 2015
CultureIQ, Inc. specializes in culture management software that assists organizations in assessing and enhancing their workplace culture. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in New York, the company offers tools that enable continuous employee feedback through customizable surveys, including pulse and trend questions. By analyzing employee responses, CultureIQ helps organizations track key culture metrics and derive actionable insights. The platform facilitates effective communication of results and supports the implementation of culture initiatives, ultimately aiming to improve employee engagement and organizational success.

Hivemapper

Seed Round in 2015
Hivemapper Inc. is a technology company based in Palo Alto, California, that specializes in creating a decentralized mapping network. Founded in 2012, the company develops real-time, community-edited map applications designed for drones. Hivemapper enables users to capture and share waypoint data, facilitating the construction of safe and efficient air routes for drones. Its platform leverages imaging hardware and video feeds to generate detailed 3D maps, allowing users to contribute and access comprehensive geographic information cost-effectively. As a subsidiary of Sidebar, Inc., Hivemapper aims to democratize mapping by providing a global 4D map accessible to everyone.

Parlio

Seed Round in 2014
Parlio is a social network that connects global citizens to share and discuss perspectives on various subjects. It was founded in 2014 and is based in Palo Alto, California.

Quire

Series A in 2014
Quire Communities Inc. is a New York-based company that develops web-based project and task management software. Founded in 2013 and originally known as Alphaworks, the company rebranded in April 2015. Quire focuses on enhancing report productivity and quality through its online platform, which streamlines workflow management and data analytics. The software assists organizations in optimizing the writing, tracking, and management of report-writing projects, facilitating faster data entry, peer reviews, and report assembly. By improving these processes, Quire enables companies to produce reports more efficiently, ultimately saving time and increasing overall productivity.

Contently

Series B in 2014
Contently is a technology company that specializes in content marketing for enterprise-level clients. The company offers a platform that enables businesses to create, distribute, and optimize engaging content efficiently. By providing access to vetted creative talent and leveraging proven expertise, Contently helps brands manage their corporate content from a single location. This streamlined approach simplifies the approval process and enhances the overall effectiveness of content marketing efforts. The company's mission focuses on fostering a better media environment for creatives and businesses alike, facilitating meaningful connections between brands and consumers through compelling storytelling.

Proven

Series A in 2013
Proven is a hiring tool tailored for small businesses, providing an employment application software that simplifies the recruitment process. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the platform allows employers to manage hiring tasks directly from their smartphones or tablets. Users can post job openings on platforms like Craigslist, as well as review resumes, respond to candidates, and contact them efficiently. Proven's fully native apps for iOS and Android enhance the hiring experience by making it accessible and convenient for busy employers.

Locality

Seed Round in 2013
Locality does for local services what Kayak does for air travel. Locality shows consumers every service that’s available around them in a way that makes it easy to find the right one for them. Whether it’s finding the best yoga class in a new city or searching for a spontaneous mani-pedi near the office, Locality connects consumers to services for everyday life, giving them the power to find services wherever they are, whenever they need information.

Kitchensurfing

Seed Round in 2013
Kitchensurfing, Inc. operates an online marketplace that connects chefs with individuals seeking personalized dining experiences. Founded in 2012 and based in New York, the platform allows users to hire chefs for various occasions, including home-cooked meals, private parties, and cooking lessons. By focusing on the importance of shared meals, Kitchensurfing aims to revive the communal dining experience that has diminished in modern households. The service offers a convenient solution for busy families and couples, providing freshly prepared meals in under 30 minutes at a competitive price. Customers can choose from multiple options, whether it be a same-day chef for a casual dinner or a specialized event for larger gatherings. Kitchensurfing emphasizes sustainability by sourcing locally-grown ingredients, enabling chefs to create high-quality dishes tailored to individual preferences. Through its innovative approach, Kitchensurfing seeks to foster connections and enrich the dining experience for users in the comfort of their own homes.

Posterous

Venture Round in 2013
Posterous, founded in the summer of 2008 and incubated by Y Combinator, is a platform dedicated to simplifying the blogging experience. It allows users to create and manage blogs with ease, akin to sending an email, which has attracted over 15 million monthly users. The introduction of Posterous Spaces has enhanced its offering by providing intuitive privacy controls, enabling users to share their content selectively across various platforms. Through its innovative approach, Posterous aims to streamline the blogging process and improve how individuals share their thoughts and experiences online.

Gigwalk

Series A in 2012
Gigwalk, Inc. is a mobile platform based in San Francisco that specializes in managing distributed workforces. Founded in 2010, Gigwalk offers two primary solutions: Gigwalk Enterprise, which enables businesses to manage worker availability, assign tasks, and oversee distributed teams, and Gigwalkers, an on-demand workforce solution that facilitates crowdsourced data collection. This allows companies to gain insights into on-the-ground conditions at key locations. Gigwalk's services are particularly beneficial for brands and retailers, helping them optimize channel execution and gather real-time data to enhance operational efficiency. The company has garnered support from various investors, including August Capital and Greylock Discovery.

Kitchensurfing

Venture Round in 2012
Kitchensurfing, Inc. operates an online marketplace that connects chefs with individuals seeking personalized dining experiences. Founded in 2012 and based in New York, the platform allows users to hire chefs for various occasions, including home-cooked meals, private parties, and cooking lessons. By focusing on the importance of shared meals, Kitchensurfing aims to revive the communal dining experience that has diminished in modern households. The service offers a convenient solution for busy families and couples, providing freshly prepared meals in under 30 minutes at a competitive price. Customers can choose from multiple options, whether it be a same-day chef for a casual dinner or a specialized event for larger gatherings. Kitchensurfing emphasizes sustainability by sourcing locally-grown ingredients, enabling chefs to create high-quality dishes tailored to individual preferences. Through its innovative approach, Kitchensurfing seeks to foster connections and enrich the dining experience for users in the comfort of their own homes.

Proven

Series A in 2012
Proven is a hiring tool tailored for small businesses, providing an employment application software that simplifies the recruitment process. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the platform allows employers to manage hiring tasks directly from their smartphones or tablets. Users can post job openings on platforms like Craigslist, as well as review resumes, respond to candidates, and contact them efficiently. Proven's fully native apps for iOS and Android enhance the hiring experience by making it accessible and convenient for busy employers.

Meddik

Seed Round in 2012
Meddik is a better way to search for health information and find support. It is a place to 1. ask questions and get answers from people who've been there 2. share your wisdom and stories with those who need advice 3. learn from the collective experience of people like you We're all connected by our health experiences -- when we get sick, when we're injured, or when we care for a loved one. Now what if you could tap into each other's experiences and difficulties? What if you could learn what a procedure would be like before you went through it? Or if you could best know what product to buy from people who've been there? What if by sharing your experience and a small amount of advice, you could prevent millions of other people from going through the struggles you did? When information is democratized, everyone gets better, faster. Join us.

DIY

Seed Round in 2011
DIY Co operates an online community aimed at young people, providing a platform for them to discover new skills and connect with others who share similar interests. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, the company allows users to build online portfolios where they can showcase their projects and achievements. Participants can earn skill badges by completing various challenges, fostering a sense of accomplishment and motivation. The platform emphasizes creativity and collaboration, encouraging members to share their work to inspire and learn from one another. As of July 2018, DIY Co functions as a subsidiary of littleBits Electronics Inc.

Kaggle

Series A in 2011
Kaggle Inc. operates a leading platform for data prediction competitions and is recognized as the world's largest community of data scientists. Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, California, Kaggle allows organizations to post their data for analysis by expert data scientists, thereby offering statistical and analytics outsourcing solutions. The platform facilitates competitions where data scientists apply advanced machine learning techniques to address complex problems, delivering valuable insights and business results. Kaggle serves a diverse clientele, including companies, governments, and researchers, with notable impacts across various industries such as energy, life sciences, financial services, aviation, information technology, and retail. In 2017, Kaggle became a subsidiary of Google, further enhancing its capabilities and reach in the data science field.

Contently

Debt Financing in 2011
Contently is a technology company that specializes in content marketing for enterprise-level clients. The company offers a platform that enables businesses to create, distribute, and optimize engaging content efficiently. By providing access to vetted creative talent and leveraging proven expertise, Contently helps brands manage their corporate content from a single location. This streamlined approach simplifies the approval process and enhances the overall effectiveness of content marketing efforts. The company's mission focuses on fostering a better media environment for creatives and businesses alike, facilitating meaningful connections between brands and consumers through compelling storytelling.

Gigwalk

Seed Round in 2011
Gigwalk, Inc. is a mobile platform based in San Francisco that specializes in managing distributed workforces. Founded in 2010, Gigwalk offers two primary solutions: Gigwalk Enterprise, which enables businesses to manage worker availability, assign tasks, and oversee distributed teams, and Gigwalkers, an on-demand workforce solution that facilitates crowdsourced data collection. This allows companies to gain insights into on-the-ground conditions at key locations. Gigwalk's services are particularly beneficial for brands and retailers, helping them optimize channel execution and gather real-time data to enhance operational efficiency. The company has garnered support from various investors, including August Capital and Greylock Discovery.

COLOURlovers

Venture Round in 2011
COLOURlovers is an international creative community that helps people discover their inner designer. We provide people with a wealth of user created & shared color inspiration as well as tools that make the creative process as simple as possible. Whether you’re simply looking for a color palette to kickstart your next project or want to produce a piece of vector art, we have the tools and services to help anybody from go from design inspiration to execution. As of 5/1/2011 there are 563,438 COLOURlovers around the world who have created 3,766,464 Colors, 1,562,273 Palettes and 1,461,132 Patterns.

Chirply

Seed Round in 2011
Chirply, Inc. is a crowdsourced design marketplace based in San Francisco, California, that connects artists and design enthusiasts. Founded in 2010, the platform allows users to submit their artwork, which is then utilized to create various products, including greeting cards, notebooks, art prints, and posters. Chirply aims to enhance user engagement by enabling brands to source unique designs that inspire their product offerings. Initially focused on the marketplace for paper goods, Chirply has expanded its services to include a B2B platform that supports brands in leveraging crowd-sourced design to foster deeper connections with their audiences. Through its online community, Chirply provides a space for designers to showcase their work and contribute to innovative everyday products.

Findery

Angel Round in 2011
Findery is a social discovery platform designed to enrich the exploration of places by sharing personal notes and stories from users. It allows individuals to uncover the histories, memories, and unique insights associated with various locations, creating a narrative around each place. This platform encourages users to share their favorite experiences, tips, and little-known facts, thus transforming the way people engage with their surroundings. Accessible via smartphones, Findery serves as a resource for discovering local and global stories, making every location come alive through the collective contributions of its community.

Sulia

Venture Round in 2010
**Sulia is a subject-based social network that connects you to the top social sources on subjects you care about.** We all have interests that we're extremely passionate about. Whether it's our family, a sports team, breaking news, Hollywood gossip, a hobby, a career, or a political issue, we obsess over our interests everyday. However, with an endless number of sources talking about an endless number of subjects, it's nearly impossible to find the best sources to follow to across your interests. And, even if you were able to identify the top sources, sifting through all of their content is maddeningly time-consuming. We built Sulia to address these problems (which were driving us mad too). Sulia’s subject-based structure of social channels connects trusted sources and enthusiasts on shared interests across thousands of subjects, including breaking news and events. How? We use a combination of network managers and sophisticated algorithms to identify the best-regarded sources across thousands of subjects. We then dynamically filter content from those sources, regardless of where it's created (a blog, a social network, a media site, through Sulia's publishing system, etc.), into high-quality, realtime social channels. The result is streams of timely content from trusted sources that is always on-topic, readable, and relevant. People use Sulia everyday to discover new sources and engage with their interests. Sulia is backed by leading media and technology investors, including: -- Firstmark Capital: Rick Heitzmann -- Village Ventures: Matt Harris, Bo Peabody -- IA Capital Partners: Roger Ehrenberg -- Founder Collective: Chris Dixon -- SV Angels: Ron Conway -- Mark Gerson, Founder, Gerson Lehrman Group

Svpply

Seed Round in 2010
Svpply is a social shopping platform that enables users to register and track products they find appealing. The site enhances the shopping experience by allowing users to discover new items based on preferences and recommendations from their social networks, including friends on Twitter and Facebook. By tagging interesting products encountered online, Svpply facilitates a curated online retail environment that connects shoppers, tastemakers, and merchants. Its primary focus is to help users uncover unique products they may not encounter through traditional shopping methods.

Votizen

Venture Round in 2010
Votizen is a consumer technology company based in Mountain View, California, focused on enhancing civic participation and political influence among voters. By leveraging social networks, Votizen empowers users to organize themselves into voting blocks, enabling them to advance their causes and interests more effectively. The company has developed a comprehensive database of voting records across the United States, normalizing public voting information to the district level. This data is then integrated with users' online identities through various social media platforms, allowing for the first graphical representation of a voter's network, which spans different states, political parties, and voting frequencies. Founded by David Binetti, Jason Putorti, and Matt Snider, Votizen operates as a nonpartisan, for-profit enterprise that aims to redefine the political landscape by prioritizing voters over politicians.

Cue

Seed Round in 2010
Cue (formerly Greplin) is a free service that helps people make the most of their day. Cue intelligently ties together and surfaces useful information at the right time from the accounts they use most, including email, contacts, and calendar. People can see their entire day at a glance or simultaneously search across all of their accounts with Cue.

Chirply

Seed Round in 2010
Chirply, Inc. is a crowdsourced design marketplace based in San Francisco, California, that connects artists and design enthusiasts. Founded in 2010, the platform allows users to submit their artwork, which is then utilized to create various products, including greeting cards, notebooks, art prints, and posters. Chirply aims to enhance user engagement by enabling brands to source unique designs that inspire their product offerings. Initially focused on the marketplace for paper goods, Chirply has expanded its services to include a B2B platform that supports brands in leveraging crowd-sourced design to foster deeper connections with their audiences. Through its online community, Chirply provides a space for designers to showcase their work and contribute to innovative everyday products.

Star.me

Seed Round in 2010
Star.me is a platform that facilitates rich and deep engagement for brands and celebrities, including Imogen Heap, iJustine, Michael Buckley, and many more. Star.me provides fans with opportunities for participation in the form of missions, games, custom rewards, and fun.

Open Places

Seed Round in 2010
Open Places is a company that develops a network of publication-quality information about various locations, created by writers and photographers worldwide. This information is designed to promote neighborhoods, towns, and regions of interest. The company has established social content platforms for both iOS and Android, which harness the enthusiasm of travelers and locals, integrating mobile actions with social media and facilitating communication through email and push notifications. Open Places also offers the Trazzler application, allowing users to discover nearby locations and engage collaboratively with editors to highlight places of interest. The company provides opportunities for writers and photographers to receive assignments, work with editors, and build professional portfolios. Open Places serves a diverse clientele, including nonprofits, public radio stations, parks, schools, and tourism bureaus. Originally known as Trazzler, Inc., the company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Blockboard

Seed Round in 2010
Blockboard is a mobile application designed to foster connections among neighbors and strengthen community engagement. Initially branded as BlockChalk, the company was founded in 2009 and rebranded in April 2011. The application allows users to interact with one another, ask questions, share local news, and post photos, including lost and found items. Additionally, it serves as a platform for reporting local issues such as potholes and graffiti directly to city authorities. By providing a location-based service, Blockboard encourages collaboration and communication within neighborhoods. The application is currently available for iPhone users, with plans for an Android version. Based in San Francisco, Blockboard has expanded its reach to over 30 neighborhoods in the area. As of February 2012, it operates as a subsidiary of Klout, Inc.

Canvas Networks

Seed Round in 2010
Canvas Networks was an online community platform focused on image sharing and remixing. It provided users with a space to share, submit, and edit images using its software application. The platform facilitated collaboration among users, allowing them to create and modify visual content collectively. By fostering an interactive environment, Canvas Networks aimed to enhance the creative process and enable individuals to engage with digital imagery in innovative ways.

Stack Overflow

Series A in 2010
Stack Overflow Ltd operates an online community tailored for developers and technologists, facilitating knowledge sharing and problem-solving in programming. The company provides several key services, including Stack Overflow for Teams, which supports mission-critical knowledge management, and Stack Overflow for Talent and Jobs, a platform designed for hiring and employer branding solutions within technology sectors. Additionally, Stack Overflow Advertising enables businesses to promote products and enhance brand visibility. For larger organizations, Stack Overflow Enterprise offers a secure environment for sharing and accessing essential company information. Founded in 2008 and based in London, United Kingdom, Stack Overflow Ltd was previously known as Stack Exchange Ltd.

Posterous

Series A in 2010
Posterous, founded in the summer of 2008 and incubated by Y Combinator, is a platform dedicated to simplifying the blogging experience. It allows users to create and manage blogs with ease, akin to sending an email, which has attracted over 15 million monthly users. The introduction of Posterous Spaces has enhanced its offering by providing intuitive privacy controls, enabling users to share their content selectively across various platforms. Through its innovative approach, Posterous aims to streamline the blogging process and improve how individuals share their thoughts and experiences online.

Hot Potato

Series A in 2009
Hot Potato is a company focused on enhancing social interactions around live events. It provides tools that enable friends and fans to connect and collaborate in real-time during various experiences. Users can check in, share their perspectives, and engage with contributions from others, making participation in events more enjoyable and interactive. The platform aims to foster a sense of community among individuals who share common interests in live occurrences, enhancing the overall experience of attending events.

Open Places

Seed Round in 2009
Open Places is a company that develops a network of publication-quality information about various locations, created by writers and photographers worldwide. This information is designed to promote neighborhoods, towns, and regions of interest. The company has established social content platforms for both iOS and Android, which harness the enthusiasm of travelers and locals, integrating mobile actions with social media and facilitating communication through email and push notifications. Open Places also offers the Trazzler application, allowing users to discover nearby locations and engage collaboratively with editors to highlight places of interest. The company provides opportunities for writers and photographers to receive assignments, work with editors, and build professional portfolios. Open Places serves a diverse clientele, including nonprofits, public radio stations, parks, schools, and tourism bureaus. Originally known as Trazzler, Inc., the company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Sulia

Seed Round in 2009
**Sulia is a subject-based social network that connects you to the top social sources on subjects you care about.** We all have interests that we're extremely passionate about. Whether it's our family, a sports team, breaking news, Hollywood gossip, a hobby, a career, or a political issue, we obsess over our interests everyday. However, with an endless number of sources talking about an endless number of subjects, it's nearly impossible to find the best sources to follow to across your interests. And, even if you were able to identify the top sources, sifting through all of their content is maddeningly time-consuming. We built Sulia to address these problems (which were driving us mad too). Sulia’s subject-based structure of social channels connects trusted sources and enthusiasts on shared interests across thousands of subjects, including breaking news and events. How? We use a combination of network managers and sophisticated algorithms to identify the best-regarded sources across thousands of subjects. We then dynamically filter content from those sources, regardless of where it's created (a blog, a social network, a media site, through Sulia's publishing system, etc.), into high-quality, realtime social channels. The result is streams of timely content from trusted sources that is always on-topic, readable, and relevant. People use Sulia everyday to discover new sources and engage with their interests. Sulia is backed by leading media and technology investors, including: -- Firstmark Capital: Rick Heitzmann -- Village Ventures: Matt Harris, Bo Peabody -- IA Capital Partners: Roger Ehrenberg -- Founder Collective: Chris Dixon -- SV Angels: Ron Conway -- Mark Gerson, Founder, Gerson Lehrman Group
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