Online events start-up Run the World, launched in late 2019,
has raised US$15 million in a Series A round, the company announced. This new
funding adds to the company's seed money of $4.3 million.
Run the World hosts online conferences, fundraisers, chats and
meetups, and since its launch has created more than 2,400 events with attendees
from more than 40 countries, according to the company. New funds will be used
to scale the business, add staff and invest further in current features.
Connie Chan of Andreesen Horowitz and Keith Rabois of
Founders Fund co-led the round, with participation from Will Smith of Dreamers
Fund, Kevin Hart's Hartbeat Capital, Green Bay Ventures, Pear Ventures and GGV
Capital, among others.
Run the World is working with meeting managers from Fortune
500 companies, with some creating weekly office hours, cocktail and networking
nights, Q&As and concerts or comedy shows for VIP guests, said co-founder
and CEO Xiaoyin Qu in an email. "Most of these organisers are using our
platform to share ideas and leverage their community during this time,"
she added. "Attendees and speakers are engaging through a variety of our
features including polling, comments, cocktail hour, group chats, panels and
fireside chats."