Science Inc.
| Error creating thumbnail: File missing | |
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Venture capital |
| Founded | 2011 in Los Angeles, US |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , USA |
| Website | science-inc |
Science Inc. is a Los Angeles–based startup studio that invests and offers expertise in corporations, in an attempt to bring them to profitability.[1] In 2011, Michael Jones founded the organization and is the current chief executive officer.[1] Jones spent time serving with the company's chief executive officers and investors on strategy, growth, and business development.[2][3]
Funding
[edit | edit source]Science Inc. initially received $10 million in backing from Eric Schmidt’s Tomorrow Ventures.[4] In 2013, Science Inc. raised $30 million in funding from Hearst Ventures, the investment arm of Hearst Corporation,[5] and was named to Fast Company’s list of The Most Innovative Companies. In 2015, Science Inc. raised $20 million in debt financing from Silver Lake Waterman.[6]
Notable affiliated companies
[edit | edit source]Dollar Shave Club
[edit | edit source]Dollar Shave Club launched with early investments and support from Science Inc.[7] Science Inc. was Dollar Shave Club's first investor, before the startup raised a $1 million seed round in March 2012.[8][9][10][11][12] It was acquired by Unilever in 2016.[13]
DogVacay
[edit | edit source]Initial funding for DogVacay was obtained from Science Inc.[14] DogVacay is a Santa Monica-based company known for home dog boarding and other pet services.
HelloSociety
[edit | edit source]Science Inc. funded an incubated HelloSociety, a social media marketing and technology firm that consults on strategic partnerships with influencers and market analytics.[15] The company was purchased by The New York Times in March 2016.[16][17]
Plowz and Mowz
[edit | edit source]In 2016, Science Inc. became one of the first investors in Plowz & Mowz, a gig-marketplace website and app that connects consumers with freelance landscapers. The company began by offering residential snow plowing services and has since expanded its scope to lawn mowing and over a dozen other outdoor home services.[18]
Other
[edit | edit source]Other startups that have come from Science Inc. include HomeHero, FameBit, Hello.Me, Stunner Inc., Delicious,[19] PlayHaven,[20] Kyoku,[21] Wishbone,[22] and Quarterly.[8] In 2015, Science Inc. sold off its mobile advertising network PlayHaven to mobile game publisher RockYou.[23] In 2016, FameBit was acquired by Google.[24]
References
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- ^ "15 Questions with Mike Jones" CNN Money, May 13, 2015
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ "Hearst Ventures Backs Science Studio With $30 Million Fund" Tech.Co, February 15, 2015
- ^ "Startup studio Science Inc. raises $20 million from Silver Lake" Fortune, February 18, 2015
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- ^ a b "Science Incubator Turns Up the Heat With New Services" LA Business Journal, June 28, 2015
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- ^ Jewish Daily Forward: "Jewish Buddies Who Founded Dollar Shave Club Cash In With $1B Unilever Deal" by Laura E. Adkins July 20, 2016
- ^ Fortune: "Unilever Buys Dollar Shave Club for $1 Billion" by Dan Primack July 19, 2016
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- ^ "Science Inc. to buy Social Bookmarking Site Delicious" Social Tech, May 8, 2014
- ^ "Science Inc. Acquires Mobile Ad Network PlayHaven From Upsight" TechCrunch, September 24, 2014
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ "With 3.1M monthly users on Wishbone, Science touts its success reaching the teen market" Venture Beat, September 30, 2015
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Wall Street Journal, "Google Acquires FameBit to Increase Branded Content Deals" October 11, 2016