Whatnot is a company that was founded as a place where collectors can safely buy, sell, go live, and geek out with other like-minded people. It is a Livestream shopping platform and marketplace that focuses on product categories people are passionate about, such as Sports Cards, Pokemon Cards, NFTs, Sneakers, etc.
The funding round Series D was led by DST Global and CapitalG. BOND, Andreessen Horowitz, and YC Continuity also took part in the round. The money raised will be used for developing Whatnot’s in-app live and social commerce marketplace, as well as rolling out additional categories for collectors including stamps, diecast cars, and action figures.
Whatnot, California, the USA, was founded by Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head in 2019. “It’s been incredible to see how our app cultivates connections between people with shared hobbies, keeping them tuned in to our entertaining live streams even if they aren’t buying and providing a hub for anyone to browse and discover new interests,” Grant LaFontaine, CEO of Whatnot. To meet the growth of similar companies and offer new features, Whatnot acquired Pastel Labs – a company that builds such products for capturing user video testimonials. What is more, the company has launched activations and partnerships with artists, including Fat Joe, YouTuber, and investor Logan Paul and the exhibiting company Fan Expo. The company also introduced its omics publishing arm, Whatnot Publishing.
