Investors and founders can meet their match with Cherub, the ‘Raya of angel investing’Jaclyn Johnson and Angeline Vuong were on a hike deliberating how hard it can be for people to get started in angel investing when they realized they had stumbled upon a startup idea.
Today they are the co-founders of Cherub, a marketplace that pairs angel investors with entrepreneurs.
Johnson likens Los Angeles-based Cherub to Raya, an online membership-based community for dating, in that it matches founders and angel investors based on their preferences.
Of those deals, 40% were new angel investors, meaning they were accredited investors that had never written checks before.
Angel investor Allen Orr told TechCrunch that he had used other platforms such as AngelList in the past.
Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech!
This week, we’re looking at how two fintech companies serving the underserved are faring, and more!
The big storyPayJoy is an example of a company with positive unit economics and a mission to help the underserved.
It last raised a $50 million Series C funding round in 2021.
And with fintech funding on the decline, this could perhaps partly explain YC’s lack of LatAm interest.
A new app called Buffet is aiming to address the loneliness epidemic by helping users meet new people by quickly matching them with a person and a place to meet up (Think Tinder + OpenTable).
Buffet aims to help users meet likeminded individuals, whether they’re looking for a new friend, romantic partner or gym buddy.
So we put one foot in front of the other and stared building Buffet.”To get started with Buffet, users enter five of their interests, such as motorcycles, horseback riding or reading.
Buffet encourages people to go beyond a chatbox and digital communication and actually meet up in the real world.
Hacking believes that if Buffet can win over the average 25-year-old female professional, it can win over anyone.
Get ready for an electrifying showdown as the “So You Think You Can Pitch” startup pitch competition at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 is set to be judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts.
We’ve already announced the startup finalists, and now you can meet our expert judges!
Joining her is Paris Heymann, partner at Index Ventures, whose deep understanding of software, data, and AI companies has positioned him as a sought-after adviser in the tech ecosystem.
With a background that spans prestigious firms like Bain Capital and Arena Holdings, Paris brings a strategic perspective honed by years of hands-on investment experience.
With judges of this caliber, the startup pitch competition at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 is sure to be a thrilling showcase of innovation and entrepreneurial talent.
Founder Daudi Barnes started the company in 2019 to augment the work of his previous company, Advanced Mobile Propulsion Test.
The Colorado-based startup already operates one test stand, called Sunshine, which AMPT stood up in 2010.
“The market is just really, really expanding really fast right now,” Animas project manager Graham Dudley explained.
So they’ve had four plus years of design and development that they have to reboot on, and that’s really, really expensive and hard for your schedule prediction.
Its a competitive edge in the space propulsion market, which has become increasingly crowded as the cost to launch spacecraft to orbit has dropped.
Uzum, an e-commerce startup offering online shopping, fintech and food deliveries to millions of customers in Uzbekistan, has raised $114 million in funding, becoming the country’s first unicorn with a valuation of $1.16 billion.
Fintech startups dominated the market with a 30% share, followed by e-commerce startups at 27%, according to estimates (PDF) by the Asian Development Bank.
“We want to expand the products, enhance the infrastructure of our e-commerce, and fund our fintech,” Djumaev said.
By the end of this year, Uzum plans to combine all its businesses into two super apps: one for its consumer-focused offerings, and another for its business-focused products.
However, he doesn’t see any competition in Uzbekistan, as Uzum has the advantage of enjoying different margins across products, and can make higher margins by combining its e-commerce and fintech services.
A new app from a startup called Cherry is aiming to transform the online shopping experience with its AI assistant that allows users to discover products across the internet using just a screenshot or image.
Cherry helps you find products that you’ve come across while scrolling through social media or have seen in real-life.
“My motivation for creating Cherry stemmed from a personal frustration with the time-consuming process of finding and comparing products online,” Kim told TechCrunch.
Plus, users can also share their search results with their friends or on social media.
“While Google Lens offers general image-based search capabilities, Cherry is specifically tailored for the shopping experience,” Kim said.
Meet the first roundtable roster at TC Early Stage 2024You won’t have to search very hard or go very far to engage in compelling conversations next month at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024.
One of the most popular attractions at Early Stage are roundtables.
These expert-led, small-group conversations focus on a specific topic designed to inform, inspire and help you build a better business.
Starting roundtable roster at Early Stage 2024Adapt & Thrive: Mastering the Chameleon MindsetWith Christopher Dube (CIO, Prepare 4 VC) and Jason Kraus (CEO, Prepare 4 VC).
Book your early-bird pass to TC Early Stage 2024 right now before prices go up on March 31.
Networking app BeScene launches today to bring filmmakers and other creatives (actors/actresses, animators, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, editors, producers, production assistants, script coordinators, writers and so forth) a Tinder-like experience to help build connections within the entertainment industry.
“The simplicity and familiarity allow each user to find what they need quickly and in a way that is meaningful: through real human connections,” Armistead says.
Former Tinder executives attempted a similar strategy in 2018 with a networking app called Ripple, which uses the familiar swipe mechanism to match professionals with each other.
HUSSLUP, another like-minded networking app for the film biz, also has a swipe feature, however, it’s more aligned with LinkedIn since it provides job search and posting capabilities.
While BeScene hasn’t raised any external funding yet, the company gathered $250,000 from friends and family in 2022.
Sony called off the merger between its India unit and Zee Entertainment on Monday, ending a two-year acquisition deliberation that would have created a $10 billion media powerhouse in the South Asian market.
Sony said in a statement that it has sent a termination letter to Zee after the Indian firm failed to meet the conditions, despite a 30-day extension.
Sony also sought for Zee to improve its finances, something that has only grown worse in recent quarters.
The deal would have created a $10 billion media powerhouse in India, where billionaire Mukesh Ambani is increasingly flexing his wealth and reach.
Zee and Sony have been important fixtures in the Indian TV industry for the last 25 years.
