Series, a new social networking startup leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance professional networking for university students and early-career professionals, has raised $3.1 million in pre-seed funding in a remarkably short 14-day period. Founded by Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow, both students at Yale University, the company has quickly attracted attention for its innovative use of AI to streamline the process of building meaningful professional connections.
The Vision Behind Series
Series aims to redefine how university students and early-career professionals network and collaborate by introducing an AI-driven platform that helps users make connections based on shared interests, goals, and skills. The platform’s AI assistant actively helps users connect with people who align with their career aspirations, thus facilitating authentic, valuable relationships in the professional world.
Unlike traditional social networking platforms, Series goes beyond just offering a platform for connections. It integrates personalized AI recommendations to optimize the networking process, guiding users to connect with the right people and providing actionable advice on how to make these connections meaningful. The platform is designed to facilitate collaboration, mentorship, and opportunities for growth in the professional space.
Investors and Funding
The pre-seed funding round was led by Parable VC, with contributions from Pear VC, DGB.VC, and notable individuals such as Reddit CEO Steve Huffman and GPTZero founder Edward Tian. The swift success of the funding round is a testament to Series’ potential to reshape the networking space. The company’s innovative approach, combined with a strong user engagement, has made it a standout in the competitive social networking and AI startup landscape.
The funding will be used to expand the team, develop the AI technology further, and roll out the platform to more universities across the United States. Series has already gained traction, with over 20,000 messages exchanged in a single week on the platform, a clear indication of the demand for a more effective way to connect professionally.
Why Series Is Gaining Traction
The professional networking space has seen increasing demand for smarter, more personalized tools, and Series is at the forefront of this trend. By focusing on AI-driven relationship-building, Series is tapping into a growing need among young professionals for deeper connections, mentorship, and career advancement. The platform’s unique value proposition is its ability to leverage AI not only for networking but also to provide tailored career advice and actionable insights.
As AI continues to evolve, platforms like Series are poised to disrupt the traditional social networking models. In a world where many professional platforms simply provide lists of contacts, Series offers highly curated opportunities for its users to form meaningful connections and build their careers.
Growth Potential and Market Opportunity
With the AI-driven professional networking space growing rapidly, Series is well-positioned to capture a significant share of this emerging market. By targeting the specific needs of university students and early-career professionals—groups that are highly active in social networking but often lack the right tools to connect meaningfully—Series has a unique market opportunity to grow its user base and attract additional investors.
Furthermore, Series’ focus on diversity and inclusivity in building professional relationships ensures that the platform appeals to a broad audience, making it a valuable tool for individuals from various backgrounds, industries, and career stages.
Conclusion
With its AI-driven approach, Series is well on its way to revolutionizing professional networking. The successful pre-seed funding round and growing user engagement suggest that the platform has significant growth potential. Series’ vision of using AI to foster meaningful professional connections could become the blueprint for the future of networking, making it a startup to watch closely in the coming months.