Series founders continue to go against the grain.
What Is Series?
Series is the first AI social network founded in 2024 by Yale University students Nathaneo Johnson (CEO) and Sean Hargrow (COO), as AFROTECH™ previously reported.
The pair sought to break free from vanity metrics that affect how people connect on platforms such as LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Instead, Series gives users an “AI friend” that finds connections for them — whether a mentor, investor, co-founder, or even a date.
“Series tells a new story of how people connect online,” Johnson told Forbes.
According to TradedVC, Series already has more than 300,000 profiles. Additionally, 700,000 messages have been exchanged, with a 95% acceptance rate, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™.
“Your AI friend makes warm introductions. It matches you with people who have effectively invited you into their lives by joining Series,” Johnson said, according to Forbes.
$3.1M Raised
Forbes reports that Series raised $3.1 million in a pre-seed round that lasted 14 days, the most venture capital raised by Ivy League students. The round was led by former Andreessen Horowitz Partner, Anne Lee Skates, with participation from Pear VC, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and others.
“No one’s done what Nathaneo and I have. We don’t look, talk, or walk like typical founders,” Hargrow wrote on LinkedIn.
Humanoid Robot CMO
Continuing to march to the beat of their own drum, the founders hired a humanoid robot — powered by AI, movement, and natural speech — called Uri as the company’s chief marketing officer (CMO). Uri was seen at Harvard University to kick off Series’ college tour, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™.
Within 24 hours, a video of Uri visiting the Ivy League school generated 1 million views on social media.
“Most CMOs cost $100K-$300K a year. Ours is a fraction of that, and it gains more attention than most celebrities do in any given room. That’s marketing,” Johnson explained in the news release.
“This move reflects our belief that robotics and AI will co-create the future of connection. Uri’s capabilities are far beyond novelty, which reflects the culture of constant innovation that will come to define today’s most ambitious startups,” he continued.
Join the conversation in real life as the founders of Series take the stage at AFROTECH™ Conference 2025. Buy your ticket today.
