Dote is a mobile shopping startup that set out to create a native mobile checkout experience across many stores and surface social recommendations. Over time the app leaned into influencer recommendations, which are now central to its product. The company introduced Shopping Party, a live-streamed feature that lets influencers share live video while browsing products on Dote and chat with fans. Shopping Party leverages Apple's ReplayKit 2 to deliver two simultaneous streams (phone camera and the Dote app) alongside live chat; the company says the average party lasts about 15 minutes. Dote plans to host two Shopping Parties every hour from 6am to 10am Pacific time for the next two weeks, and some events will be sponsored by brands. Founder and CEO Lauren Farleigh, formerly a product manager at Pocket Gems, said the feature aims to recreate the shared mall-shopping experience on mobile; financially, Dote announced a $12M funding round and has now raised a total of $23M. Dote operates a free mobile shopping app that curates brands like Sephora, Victoria’s Secret and Gap into what it calls a virtual mall. Users pick favorite brands to receive sale notifications and view curated trends, and a social component lets them show friends what they’re buying. The company targets millennial and Gen Z women, particularly ages 15–35, and positions shopping as an entertainment experience on smartphones. Dote says the average user returns 15 times per month and that its algorithms use engagement data to predict purchases. The company takes an undisclosed share of transaction revenue when products sell through the app. Dote will use the new funding for hiring at its San Francisco headquarters and to expand retail partnerships; total funding now stands at $10.8 million.

Total raised

$19M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Apr 2019