Online events startup Run the World, launched in late 2019, has raised $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 organizers 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."