Yale Students Secure $5.1M for AI Social Network Series
Two Yale University seniors have secured $5.1 million in pre-seed funding to launch Series, a social networking platform that operates entirely within iMessage. The startup, founded early last year, is backed by high-profile investors including Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, Venmo co-founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail, Pear VC, and GPTZero creator Edward Tian.
Unlike traditional apps that require a separate interface, Series utilizes a conversational AI model. Users interact by texting a specific phone number on iMessage to define their identity and the type of connections they seek. The AI responds with a carousel of 10 images—dubbed “shares”—featuring other users with similar interests. By pressing and holding a carousel card, individuals can initiate private conversations without ever exchanging personal phone numbers.
From Campus Podcast to Startup
Founders Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow first crossed paths during their freshman year while contributing to a podcast at the Yale Entrepreneurial Society. Their time interviewing established CEOs provided the initial spark for the company. “We realized the power of warm connections,” Johnson explained. The duo spent their first summer break developing the business independently, eventually iterating through multiple prototypes before beginning their fundraising efforts in March 2025.
Johnson, who balances his studies in computer science and economics with his role as CEO, manages a team of eight. Despite the intense demands of running a venture-backed company, he and Hargrow have opted to remain enrolled at Yale. “Your extra time outside of your supposed obligation can be used to catapult what you’re truly meant to do,” Johnson noted regarding the challenge of juggling exams and business operations.
Market Strategy and Growth
The platform has already gained traction across more than 750 college campuses. According to internal data provided by the company, Series maintains an 82% retention rate through Day 30, a metric the founders claim exceeds early benchmarks set by Facebook.
Key operational details regarding the company’s expansion include:
- Talent Acquisition: The $5.1 million injection will be used to scale the engineering team and enhance product features.
- Location: While the founders remain based in New Haven for their studies, they operate out of an office in Chelsea, New York, signaling a commitment to the East Coast tech ecosystem.
- Target Demographic: Though initially focused on college students, the platform is expanding to include professionals, with current use cases ranging from business networking to dating and friendship.
Johnson views the project as part of a broader shift toward “conversation interfaces,” moving away from the traditional model of scrolling through websites toward direct engagement with AI to source information. As the company grows, it joins a niche sector of AI-driven networking tools, competing alongside platforms like Boardy AI.