Series raises $5.1 million to build an AI social network in iMessage

Series, a social networking platform founded by Yale students Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow, has secured $5.1 million in pre-seed funding—an early-stage investment round. According to Johnson, the platform’s CEO, the service operates entirely through Apple’s iMessage. Instead of navigating a traditional application, users interact with the platform by texting a dedicated phone number to explain who they are and whom they want to reach. The company, which began fundraising in March 2025, has built a team of eight employees.

The platform uses artificial intelligence to facilitate what the founders call “warm connections,” or introductions via mutual contacts. The co-founders first developed the concept after realizing the value of professional introductions while running a podcast for the Yale Entrepreneurial Society. “We then proceeded our freshman summer to start a business independent from the club and incorporate a company around that same thesis, using AI as a warm connection facilitator,” Johnson said.

The AI responds to user texts with a “share,” which is a carousel of 10 images. Users can swipe through these cards, which display another person’s photo and specific request, and hold down an image to start a private conversation within the chat without revealing their personal phone numbers. According to Johnson, this conversational interface has achieved an 82% user retention rate through Day 30. He also stated that students are currently using the platform across more than 750 campuses.

The early-stage round attracted backing from investors including Pear VC, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, Venmo co-founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail, and GPTZero founder Edward Tian. Rather than establishing their headquarters in Silicon Valley, the founders have chosen to build their business on the East Coast. The team frequently commutes between New Haven, Connecticut, where Yale is located, and an office in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York. Johnson noted that the decision to remain in the region reflects a commitment to “Silicon Alley”—the New York tech scene—where they have established an initial network across the Ivy League and other East Coast schools. The company competes with other networking platforms in the space, such as Boardy AI, which also uses artificial intelligence to foster introductions.

Why it matters

Series represents a shift toward conversational interfaces where artificial intelligence facilitates introductions via mutual contacts. By embedding directly into existing messaging platforms like iMessage, the startup challenges traditional social discovery models that rely on standalone applications and manual search.