Jersey City — The next wave of tech is live and in real-time.
Atmosfy, a San Francisco-based platform for reviewing live dining and nightlife experiences, raked in $12 million in seed funding this month led by Redpoint Ventures.
Additional participants in the round include Palm Tree Crew Investments (Kygo), Streamlined Ventures, Industry Ventures, Canaan Partners, Village Global, Progression Fund and Convivialite Ventures.
On the platform, individuals can share their genuine experiences at local restaurants, hotels, bars, nightclubs and festivals. According to the company, this mobile, video-first approach puts local businesses in the spotlight while also empowering users to discover new places, plan trips and stay in the loop about real-time happenings.
As reported in Bloomberg, live streaming imploded into mainstream popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when the world was in lock down with not much else to watch but each other. As loneliness set in, social media users across all platforms dove into live streaming to connect with others in real time.
By default, live streaming became a focal point for emerging startups. YR Media covered the boom in live streaming shopping apps earlier this year in April after the category grew into popularity in the U.S.
Considering that many individuals already record video reviews for live dining and nightlife experiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, I believe that Atmosfy is definitely on to something by creating a new category of community-based reviews.
And so do others, the startup’s seed round comes as Atmosfy expands its global presence, in 10,000 cities spanning 150 countries.
"Atmosfy's mission resonated globally and has taken off, helping people rediscover their cities, or new ones, in real-time," Michael Ebel, the Founder and CEO of Atmosfy in a statement, "The difficulty for businesses was exponentially amplified during COVID, and it was clear there was a new solution needed to help support them. Atmosfy gives consumers a way to highlight their experiences through video, inspire others to come visit and support the businesses that are still open."
The startup has identified Gen Z as a key demographic where Amstofy is particularly popular due to our preference for authentic, immersive and engaging outlets.
Keeping it gee, as Atmosfy continues to redefine the landscape of online reviews, the infusion of seed funding marks a significant leap towards its mission. I am eager to see if this category becomes of interest to Gen Z in full as the startup grows.
Miranda Perez (she/her/hers) is a Jersey City, NJ-based journalist who covers the tech industry. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @mimithegee.
Edited by NaTyshca Pickett