Close Menu
TechBrunchTechBrunch
  • Home
  • AI
  • Apps
  • Crypto
  • Security
  • Startups
  • TechCrunch
  • Venture

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news

Subscribe my Newsletter for New Posts & tips Let's stay updated!

What's Hot

New York State Cyber Chief Calls Trump to Cut Cybersecurity

July 28, 2025

Do startups still need Silicon Valley? Check out 2025 Surpt

July 28, 2025

First appearance: 2025 Confusing AI stage

July 28, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
TechBrunchTechBrunch
  • Home
  • AI

    OpenAI seeks to extend human lifespans with the help of longevity startups

    January 17, 2025

    Farewell to the $200 million woolly mammoth and TikTok

    January 17, 2025

    Nord Security founder launches Nexos.ai to help enterprises move AI projects from pilot to production

    January 17, 2025

    Data proves it remains difficult for startups to raise capital, even though VCs invested $75 billion in the fourth quarter

    January 16, 2025

    Apple suspends AI notification summaries for news after generating false alerts

    January 16, 2025
  • Apps

    Sam Altman warns that ChatGpt is not legally confidential when using it as a therapist

    July 25, 2025

    Apple expands the App Store age rating system

    July 25, 2025

    Google is testing a vibe coding app called Opal

    July 25, 2025

    Use x Community Notes to test and find everyone's favorite posts

    July 24, 2025

    Apple iOS 26 Public Beta Arrival

    July 24, 2025
  • Crypto

    Telegram's Crypto Wallet will be released in the US

    July 22, 2025

    Indian Crypto ExchangeCoindCX confirms $44 million stolen during hack

    July 21, 2025

    North Korean hackers blamed record-breaking spikes in 2025

    July 17, 2025

    Bitcoin surpasses $118K at the second highest high in 24 hours

    July 11, 2025

    Vitalik Buterin reserves for Sam Altman's global project

    June 28, 2025
  • Security

    New York State Cyber Chief Calls Trump to Cut Cybersecurity

    July 28, 2025

    Aerofrott, Russia's largest airline, is now hit by cyber attacks

    July 28, 2025

    72,000 user images have been published in violation of dating safety appetite

    July 26, 2025

    Allianz Life says “majority” of customer personal data stolen in a cyber attack

    July 26, 2025

    It took Google a month to shut down Catwatchful, a phone spyware operation hosted on the server

    July 25, 2025
  • Startups

    7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

    March 24, 2025

    AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

    March 24, 2025

    20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

    March 22, 2025

    Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

    March 21, 2025

    Startup Weekly: Wiz bets paid off at M&A Rich Week

    March 21, 2025
  • TechCrunch

    OpenSea takes a long-term view with a focus on UX despite NFT sales remaining low

    February 8, 2024

    AI will save software companies' growth dreams

    February 8, 2024

    B2B and B2C are not about who buys, but how you sell

    February 5, 2024

    It's time for venture capital to break away from fast fashion

    February 3, 2024

    a16z's Chris Dixon believes it's time to focus on blockchain use cases rather than speculation

    February 2, 2024
  • Venture

    Do startups still need Silicon Valley? Check out 2025 Surpt

    July 28, 2025

    First appearance: 2025 Confusing AI stage

    July 28, 2025

    Index venture “Jahanvisaldana” shares the truth about what TAM and founders should focus on instead

    July 25, 2025

    With defense momentum growing, NATO Innovation Fund will update its investment team

    July 25, 2025

    How Y Combinator Food Delivery App Uses Tiktok to Soar in the App Store

    July 24, 2025
TechBrunchTechBrunch

Hummingbirds, a platform that connects local creators with local brand campaigns, raises $5.4 million

TechBrunchBy TechBrunchOctober 30, 20244 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Telegram Email


Hummingbirds is a woman-founded startup that connects hyperlocal content creators with homegrown brands like coffee shops and grocery store chains to share and market their products to small, engaged communities through social media. Reward those who help.

The company announced a $5.4 million seed round on Wednesday, bringing its total funding to $10 million. The new capital will support the platform's expansion to 20 additional cities by 2025, including Atlanta, Georgia. Charlotte, North Carolina. and Denver, Colorado.

Launched last year, the platform is betting on localized word-of-mouth marketing for brands to build trust with local customers. Small business owners often struggle with local marketing, usually due to limited budgets and competition from established brands. Hummingbirds believes the solution lies in its own backyard. This means leveraging “PTA moms” (also known as parents who are actively involved in school activities such as fundraisers) and neighborhood creators to help promote your product.

“when [brands] When looking to drive in-store activity for these retailers, they need new marketing tools. At Hummingbirds, we realized we could help these brands move quickly to increase brand awareness, build a loyal following, and get customers in their stores. Go back to the store and buy the product again and again,'' co-founder Charise Flynn told TechCrunch.

Hummingbirds allows brands to launch targeted marketing campaigns that target local residents and encourage them to share their products with their followers on social media. We currently have more than 300 brand partners, from well-known brands like Chop Local, Cutwater, Goodles, and Olipop to small businesses and local chains like AE Dairy, Century Farm Distillery, and Fareway Grocery.

To encourage participation, companies offer perks like gift cards ranging from $50 to $250, free experiences (like a massage at a spa), free products, and other perks.

Hummingbirds takes a 0% commission from creators, but brands must pay to launch campaigns on the platform.

Image credit: Hummingbird

The platform focuses on everyday creators who consider social sharing a hobby, and most of their followers are friends and local connections. “Nano creators” with up to 10,000 followers claim they often achieve higher engagement rates thanks to their loyal followers. The company claims its strategy of creating “city-specific content” increases sales by up to 14x and enhances social engagement by 80%.

“Their engagement rates are much higher than traditional industry standards. We see 3-4% engagement on average…most influencers have 0.7% engagement,” Flynn said. I did.

Several startups similar to Hummingbirds have emerged in recent years, including Franki, Mavely, Mavn, and Soci, but Hummingbirds sets itself apart by primarily targeting content creators in Central America. I'm doing it. The platform operates in more than 20 cities, including Des Moines, Illinois. Madison, Wisconsin. Nashville, Tennessee. and Omaha, Nebraska.

This focus is strategic, as the company believes this area is often overlooked and difficult for many brands looking to expand their reach.

“They don’t know how to market to Central America. [Customers are] Since they spend a lot of money on groceries, you can activate the Hummingbird community to increase brand awareness and increase product sales velocity. It was really beneficial for us to focus on the marketing part, which is a little bit more difficult for them,” Flynn explained.

Co-founder Emily Steele is the visionary behind Hummingbirds. While working as a small-time content creator in Iowa, she realized there was an opportunity to support local brands in her community.

“Hummingbirds started in Des Moines, Iowa, when we tried an oat milk latte, shared it on social, and got excited about helping others share our city’s small businesses,” Steele said. spoke. She also said the company's name comes from the nickname her father-in-law used to call her, since hummingbirds are the “local pollinators” and are always “flying around town.”

Recently, the company has experienced rapid growth. It has quadrupled its revenue and doubled the size of its community in the past year, now claiming to have 11,000 creators.

Seed round participants include Allos Ventures, Ground Game, Homegrown Capital, InnoVenture Iowa Fund, ISA Ventures, M25 Fund, and Next Level Ventures.





Source link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

March 24, 2025

AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

March 24, 2025

20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

March 22, 2025

Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

March 21, 2025

Startup Weekly: Wiz bets paid off at M&A Rich Week

March 21, 2025

Wayve CEO shares his key elements for scaling autonomous driving technology

March 21, 2025

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top Reviews
Editors Picks

7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

March 24, 2025

AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

March 24, 2025

20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

March 22, 2025

Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

March 21, 2025
About Us
About Us

Welcome to Tech Brunch, your go-to destination for cutting-edge insights, news, and analysis in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cryptocurrency, Technology, and Startups. At Tech Brunch, we are passionate about exploring the latest trends, innovations, and developments shaping the future of these dynamic industries.

Our Picks

New York State Cyber Chief Calls Trump to Cut Cybersecurity

July 28, 2025

Do startups still need Silicon Valley? Check out 2025 Surpt

July 28, 2025

First appearance: 2025 Confusing AI stage

July 28, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news

Subscribe my Newsletter for New Posts & tips Let's stay updated!

© 2025 TechBrunch. Designed by TechBrunch.
  • Home
  • About Tech Brunch
  • Advertise with Tech Brunch
  • Contact us
  • DMCA Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.