verified — Trust Score 98/100

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @founded --- Caption/Description --- These two Yale students have just raised $5.1M for a social network already on 750 campuses. For context, that’s more campuses than early stage Facebook. Meet Nathaneo Johnson [@nathaneo_j] and Sean Hargrow [@_2woot], the founders of Series [@series.so]. They’re still taking exams, but their iMessage-based networking app already has 300,000 profiles and 82% 30-day retention. The idea came from a simple realisation. Opportunities don’t come from cold DMs, they come from warm introductions. So they built Series to match students using AI, helping people find the right connection. They filmed their launch trailer overnight, which led to their first investor two days later. Now they’re backed by Pear VC, Reddit’s CEO, and Venmo’s co-founder. --- Carousel/Slides (10 items) --- Slide 1 (image): Text: FOUNDING THESE TWO STUDENTS ARE BUILDING A NEW SOCIAL NETWORK, AND IT'S ALREADY ON MORE CAMPUSES THAN EARLY FACEBOOK S. Credit: Series HERE’S HOW → Slide 2 (image): Text: Series co-founder Nathaneo Johnson grew up without a role model. "My mom used to always have the TV set to business news so I could get inspired by those shaping the world. But I never saw someone who looked like me." So he decided to become the role model he never had. → Slide 3 (image): Text: Nathaneo met his now co-founder Sean Hargrow during freshman year at Yale, while working on a podcast together. Nathaneo was studying computer science and economics, meanwhile Sean was studying neuroscience. The two instantly clicked... Credit: Series Slide 4 (image): Text: Then one day, they had a realisation… The best opportunities don't come from cold messages or scrolling feeds. They come from warm introductions, someone who knows someone, who can help you. Slide 5 (image): Text: Their product, Series, lives inside iMessage, text a number, say who you are and who you want to meet. Series Welcome to

Claims analyzed (6)

1. verified: Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow are Yale students and the founders of the app Series.
   Multiple news reports from April 2026 confirm that Johnson (CS/Econ) and Hargrow (Neuroscience) are Yale seniors and co-founders of Series.
2. verified: The app Series has raised $5.1 million in funding.
   A $5.1 million pre-seed funding round was widely reported in late April 2026 by tech and business news outlets.
3. verified: Series is currently active on 750 college campuses.
   Reports from April 2026 cite the founders and internal data stating the app is used across more than 750 campuses.
4. verified: The app has 300,000 user profiles and an 82% 30-day retention rate.
   These specific metrics were reported by the Yale Daily News and tech journals as of late 2025/early 2026.
5. verified: Investors in Series include Pear VC, Reddit’s CEO, and Venmo’s co-founder.
   The cap table for the $5.1M round explicitly includes Pear VC, Steve Huffman (Reddit CEO), and Iqram Magdon-Ismail (Venmo co-founder).
6. verified: Series is an iMessage-based networking app that uses AI to match students.
   The app's core functionality is described as an AI-driven agent ('AI Friend') operating entirely within iMessage to facilitate warm introductions.

Sources consulted (13)

• founded.com — founded.com
• peopleofcolorintech.com — peopleofcolorintech.com
• cmotech.ca — cmotech.ca
• urbangeekz.com — urbangeekz.com
• smestreet.in — smestreet.in
• bet.com — bet.com
• becauseofthemwecan.com — becauseofthemwecan.com
• forbes.com — forbes.com
• blackenterprise.com — blackenterprise.com
• Yale Students Raise $5.1 Million In Pre-Seed Round For AI Social Network — POCIT
• Two college kids raise a $5.1 million pre-seed to build an AI social network in iMessage — Ground News
• The Steve Huffman Series AI Investment That Has Silicon Valley Watching Two Yale Seniors — ABC Money
• Yale Student Founders Secure $5.1M to Build AI-Powered Social Network — UrbanGeekz

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