Clubios, a San Francisco-based audio social network, raised about $ 100 million led by existing investor Andreessen Horowitz in a $ 1 billion post-money valuation, Axios has learned. The deal was publicly announced, but the details of the dollar were not.
Why it’s important: The startup says it had two million users last week, despite being launched less than a year ago and maintaining very tight control of new invitations until very recently. He now also plans to launch a revenue-generating program with the creators, which could increase usage and open up Clubhouse’s own revenue.
Details: Clubhouse says it now has “more than 180 investors.” It sounds like a hell of a home plug table, but the truth is, most of these sponsors fit into a single line using a zero-quota SPV.
The summary: This is a very high risk / reward bet.
- The risk is that the audio boom is being artificially inflated by the pandemic of staying at home and that Andreessen Horowitz’s confidence is colored by her partners ’addictions to the use of Clubhouse.
- The reward is that this is the next evolution of social media, and that Andreessen Horowitz has just prevented other investors like Sequoia Capital once it did with WhatsApp.