How Two Yale Juniors Raised $3.1M in 14 Days for a ‘Warm Introduction’ Network.

Ever had your mom ask why you only have three followers, yet seven unread texts? That’s the opposite of what Series does. Built by two 21-year-old Yale juniors, this AI-powered “warm introductions” network doesn’t count likes. It counts connection. In just two weeks, they were able to raise a jaw-dropping $3.1 million and won over investors usually guarded as Fort Knox. This story isn’t about meteoric success, it’s about charm, timing, and the promise of smarter networking.

Background

Meet Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow, both juniors at Yale University and unlikely startup poster kids. Nathaneo was deep into CS and economics; Sean, balancing neuroscience with life after being a student-athlete. Their shared flair for building things got them cohosting a podcast known as The Founder Series, where they interviewed student entrepreneurs and heard the same secret again and again: success often starts with being in the right place with the right people.

They decided to build the antidote: Series, an AI social network that didn’t let users chase followers or vanity metrics, instead, you’d get help meeting the “right” people by training your AI Friend via iMessage. Want a cofounder? Mentor? That guy you half-followed on TikTok who’s launching a podcast? Type a request; your AI digs through the network to make an intro. That’s mental work.

It wasn’t a late-night hack project. They posted a trailer on LinkedIn, it went viral on campus, they flew to Silicon Valley, and, just like that (well not like thattt but you get) $3.1 million raised in 14 days, led by Parable and backed by VC big names like Pear VC, Radicle Impact, and even Reddit’s CEO. That’s not just traction; that’s propulsion.

Challenges

Nonetheless, they still faced challenges like, there were no boardrooms yet, but any startup like this would face question marks from all sides. First, identity. Two tall Black students jumping to raise millions? It’s bold, not just against stereotypes, but against expectations. A lot of people expected Harvard-style, hyper-professional yet faceless. Johnson and Hargrow looked different, sounded different, and leaned into that difference, citing it as their narrative strength.

Then, there’s trust in AI. Asking people to let an AI introduce them to strangers? That’s part Tinder, part network, part sci-fi. Users need to trust the algorithm while still feeling like someone stands behind it. Too much automation and it feels cold. Too much hand-holding and it’s just social media with a fancy wrapper. Their design was async mode, mutual opt-in, minimal profile cards and these plucked that balance nicely.

Fundraising itself is a challenge too. VC money arrives with choir-howling expectations. Series moved fast: Zoom calls, investor dinners, no hesitation after a LinkedIn viral trailer. But that pace runs right into skepticism. Are they building, or just chasing clicks? The pressure to scale before alignment is a real startup trap.

Solution

They handled these with quiet genius;

Own your identity: They leaned into being the anti-establishment founder, tall, technical, authentic, all instead of trying to blend into the expected “founder mold.” That flipped potential bias into a branding moment.

Design for trust, not for optics: The AI Friend operates on iMessage, not a web form. Mutual opt-ins, minimal high-value profiles, and async messaging made the experience feel real, directed, and respectful, not just hype.

Move fast, but smart: They skipped the slow grind. Within two weeks, they pitched, got meetings, flew out, and closed a round. That speed convinced investors they weren’t just curious, they were committed.

Root connection, not metrics: No profiles with follower counts. No viral videos needed. Instead, focus on meaningful exchanges. That message resonated in both student users and serious investors who were tired of noise on social platforms.

Results

The post-funding world is part dream, part pressure cooker: within a week, Series generated tens of thousands of AI Friend messages. Campus users were putting real thought into connection, not pixels. Their network grew organically, no influencer license, just personal values aligned with tech for people.

They’re now touring campuses, Stanford, MIT, UCI, to build community and identify their next cohort of founders and users. The user response speaks volumes: “I forgot my AI Friend wasn’t human until it introduced me to a real person,” one early user said. They didn’t just build tech; they built trust.

TL; DR

Two Yale juniors, Nathaneo Johnson and Sean Hargrow, went from a dorm-room podcast to raising $3.1 million in 14 days for Series, an AI social network that helps users make meaningful connections, not likes. They leaned into their identity, designed for trust, moved at startup speed, and focused on real connection. Not a social app, an AI friend in your pocket that actually delivers.