- Curtis Chou
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Popl
UCLA's Next Big Startup
Curtis Chou
March 04, 2024
If you’re reading this, don’t worry I’m sure people like talking to you at networking events haha. You’ve probably met me (Curtis) through one :)
This week I wanted to share with you a seamless way to transform your networking game so you can maximize your professional network.
And hopefully get people to like you (no guarantees)😀
One Liner:
Popl is the #1 digital business card platform for teams and professionals.
The Dilemma:
Sharing and collecting business information in person is often awkward and hard to do. Should you ask for a Linkedin? An email? Who knows? How do you go about doing so?
The Innovative Solution:
Popl makes it easy for individuals and teams to share / collect contact info with a digital business card platform. In doing so, Popl aims to bridge the gap between in-person networking and online networking.
Traction + Fundraising:
Seed stage but revenue is at Series B metrics.
Passed $10M ARR in September of 2023.
1.5M users.
5k paying teams on the B2B side.
Raised $3M to date with YC and Cathexis Ventures as the most recent investors.
Popl was also apart of YC (W21) and in 2023, the Phoenix Suns signed a multi-year agreement with Popl to implement their platform.
Popl’s Story
It was at a party in the Hollywood Hills where Jason Alvarez-Cohen first came across NFC tech, the tech that allows you to tap and share information to iPhones and Androids.
Enamored by NFC tech, Popl first launched as a simple NFC sharing company. But with a team who valued talking to customers, Popl eventually pivoted its way into being the premier digital business card platform for teams and professionals.
Also here’s a cool quote from Jason :)
“Whatever idea you’re thinking of pursuing, make sure it’s something you’re truly passionate about because building great companies takes time and you’ll need that passion to motivate you when you wake up each morning.”
Market Evaluation:
Popl operates in a growing market and is growing fast alongside it with 1.5M active users. If Popl plays their cards correctly, they could be competing with giants like Linkedin, innovating the professional networking space in the near future.
The digital business card market was valued at $159.36 million in 2022, and is estimated to reach $505.2 million by 2032…
Revenue Model:
Popl generates revenue based on a SaaS model with 3 different tiers for individuals along with a dynamic pricing system for teams.
For more on pricing check out the link here 💸
