Social Starts

Founded in 2012, Social Starts is a venture capital firm based in California. It focuses on early-stage investments, primarily at the Series A level, in technology and healthcare companies operating within the United States.

Kevin Dasch

Partner

Mike Edelhart

Managing Partner

Emi Gonzalez

Principal

Past deals in News

The Block

Seed Round in 2019
The Block is a prominent research, analysis, and news organization focused on the digital asset sector. Established in 2018 and headquartered in New York City, The Block operates with a team distributed across multiple time zones, enabling continuous coverage of the global cryptocurrency and blockchain landscape. The organization aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for individuals seeking to understand and navigate the evolving world of digital assets, including programmable money, distributed ledgers, and decentralized applications. Through its in-depth reporting and insights, The Block positions itself as a key player in the digital asset space.

The Block

Seed Round in 2018
The Block is a prominent research, analysis, and news organization focused on the digital asset sector. Established in 2018 and headquartered in New York City, The Block operates with a team distributed across multiple time zones, enabling continuous coverage of the global cryptocurrency and blockchain landscape. The organization aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for individuals seeking to understand and navigate the evolving world of digital assets, including programmable money, distributed ledgers, and decentralized applications. Through its in-depth reporting and insights, The Block positions itself as a key player in the digital asset space.

Fresco News

Series A in 2017
Fresco News Inc. is a New York-based company that operates a citizen-driven platform for breaking news content. Founded in 2014, the platform enables users to browse and share breaking news photos and videos from around the world, allowing individuals to report news as they experience it. Fresco News facilitates the sharing of diverse perspectives on news stories and connects users with news outlets across the United States. The platform notifies users about nearby breaking news events and offers opportunities for users to earn money by sharing videos directly with news organizations. By leveraging mobile technology, Fresco News empowers individuals to become reporters and contribute to the news landscape in meaningful ways.

The Hustle

Seed Round in 2017
The Hustle is an online news portal that delivers business and technology news with a no‑nonsense, irreverent tone. It offers concise, conversational coverage of startups, tech trends, and broader business developments, and hosts TED talks and news shows to provide readers with accessible insights into the startup ecosystem.

Inverse

Series A in 2016
Inverse is an online media platform focused on curating content for a millennial male audience. It specializes in original reporting, news coverage, and insightful analysis, exploring emerging ideas, new technologies, and trends. By highlighting the perspectives of innovative thinkers and creators, Inverse seeks to engage its audience with unique insights into pop culture and everyday life. The platform aims to answer the question of what the future may hold, fostering a sense of curiosity and encouraging its readers to better understand and prepare for upcoming developments.

Fresco News

Seed Round in 2016
Fresco News Inc. is a New York-based company that operates a citizen-driven platform for breaking news content. Founded in 2014, the platform enables users to browse and share breaking news photos and videos from around the world, allowing individuals to report news as they experience it. Fresco News facilitates the sharing of diverse perspectives on news stories and connects users with news outlets across the United States. The platform notifies users about nearby breaking news events and offers opportunities for users to earn money by sharing videos directly with news organizations. By leveraging mobile technology, Fresco News empowers individuals to become reporters and contribute to the news landscape in meaningful ways.

Inverse

Seed Round in 2016
Inverse is an online media platform focused on curating content for a millennial male audience. It specializes in original reporting, news coverage, and insightful analysis, exploring emerging ideas, new technologies, and trends. By highlighting the perspectives of innovative thinkers and creators, Inverse seeks to engage its audience with unique insights into pop culture and everyday life. The platform aims to answer the question of what the future may hold, fostering a sense of curiosity and encouraging its readers to better understand and prepare for upcoming developments.

Fresco News

Seed Round in 2015
Fresco News Inc. is a New York-based company that operates a citizen-driven platform for breaking news content. Founded in 2014, the platform enables users to browse and share breaking news photos and videos from around the world, allowing individuals to report news as they experience it. Fresco News facilitates the sharing of diverse perspectives on news stories and connects users with news outlets across the United States. The platform notifies users about nearby breaking news events and offers opportunities for users to earn money by sharing videos directly with news organizations. By leveraging mobile technology, Fresco News empowers individuals to become reporters and contribute to the news landscape in meaningful ways.

A Plus

Convertible Note in 2015
A Plus is a technology-driven media company dedicated to delivering positive journalism aimed at fostering social change. The organization has experienced significant growth, attracting tens of millions of unique visitors each month, thanks to its proprietary technology that enhances content creation, optimization, and distribution. Co-founded by entrepreneur Ashton Kutcher and software developers Evan Beard and Kendall Dabaghi, A Plus seeks to challenge conventional media narratives by focusing on uplifting content. With an average of 30 million monthly readers, it ranks among the top 100 websites in the United States, reflecting its commitment to making a meaningful impact in the world through its journalism.

Inverse

Seed Round in 2015
Inverse is an online media platform focused on curating content for a millennial male audience. It specializes in original reporting, news coverage, and insightful analysis, exploring emerging ideas, new technologies, and trends. By highlighting the perspectives of innovative thinkers and creators, Inverse seeks to engage its audience with unique insights into pop culture and everyday life. The platform aims to answer the question of what the future may hold, fostering a sense of curiosity and encouraging its readers to better understand and prepare for upcoming developments.

Qu: Stay Curious

Convertible Note in 2015
Qu: Stay Curious is an iOS mobile application for technology enthusiasts that explore and get opinions on tech trends and political news. The individuals can share information and news through the app and social media. They can also discover what other individual’s ideas and what they think about certain topics. Qu: Stay Curious is a U.S.-based company that was founded in 2015 by Leo Gui and Marie Ng.

Elite Daily

Convertible Note in 2014
Elite Daily, Inc. is an online media platform focused on providing engaging content tailored for millennials, particularly Generation Y. Founded in 2014 and based in New York, the company produces a wide range of articles, videos, and documentaries across various categories, including news, lifestyle, dating, entertainment, politics, and culture. Elite Daily aims to deliver content that resonates with the interests and perspectives of its audience, which exceeds 70 million monthly readers, establishing it as a significant community for millennial voices. The platform was created by a team of media professionals from the same demographic, who sought to move away from traditional media's often monotonous presentation of news and instead foster a vibrant, socially driven environment. As of 2017, Elite Daily operates as a subsidiary of Bustle Digital Group.

Mashable

Series A in 2014
Mashable, Inc. is a prominent online news community that focuses on digital culture, social media, and technology. Established in 2005 and headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in San Francisco, London, and Los Angeles, the company serves as a leading media outlet for the Connected Generation. It provides a platform for news, information, and resources, attracting 45 million monthly unique visitors and 28 million social media followers globally. Mashable also facilitates career opportunities by aggregating job openings in technology, marketing, and design fields while offering advertising services. By leveraging its proprietary technology, Mashable aims to redefine storytelling and engage its audience in the evolving digital landscape. As of 2017, it operates as a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, LLC.

Mashable

Series A in 2014
Mashable, Inc. is a prominent online news community that focuses on digital culture, social media, and technology. Established in 2005 and headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in San Francisco, London, and Los Angeles, the company serves as a leading media outlet for the Connected Generation. It provides a platform for news, information, and resources, attracting 45 million monthly unique visitors and 28 million social media followers globally. Mashable also facilitates career opportunities by aggregating job openings in technology, marketing, and design fields while offering advertising services. By leveraging its proprietary technology, Mashable aims to redefine storytelling and engage its audience in the evolving digital landscape. As of 2017, it operates as a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, LLC.

SmartNews

Series A in 2013
SmartNews is a global news platform that uses machine learning algorithms to evaluate millions of articles daily. It delivers quality news stories across various categories to over 10 million monthly active users worldwide, having won multiple 'App of the Year' awards.
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