Quick Take
- Root raised $9M from investors like Headline Ventures, Konvoy, and Jack “CouRage” Dunlop to build a social platform with built-in community tools.
- The platform supports JavaScript-based apps for planning, recruiting, and coordinating to remove the need for third-party tools.
- Root targets large online communities with features like tabbed servers, file folders, and a multi-pane chat interface built for scale.
Root, a next-generation social platform built to support large and growing communities, has raised $9 million in seed funding to launch its app-based communication network. The round was led by Headline Ventures and Konvoy Ventures, with participation from Day One Ventures, Untamed Ventures, Crunchyroll founder Kun Gao, Clark Valberg, and content creator Jack “CouRage” Dunlop, among others.
Root aims to reimagine how digital communities organize and operate. Unlike traditional chat platforms, which center primarily on messaging, Root introduces a modular app framework that lets communities install or develop custom tools tailored to their needs. Built for scale and flexibility, Root’s platform includes launch features like a Raid Planner, Task Tracker, and StickerWall, with all apps running natively on the platform and accessible via a unified interface.
“Discord was revolutionary, but it hasn’t kept up with what large, productive communities require today,” said Jesse Dietrichson, founder and CEO of Root. “Root is about giving communities tools—not just chat—and giving developers the freedom to create and extend what’s possible without worrying about hosting or scale.”
With a focus on gamers, Root is targeting online groups like MMO guilds, esports teams, and modding communities that rely on third-party tools to stay organized. Users will be able to access multiple servers via tabbed navigation, use drag-and-drop file folders, and search conversations or documents from a centralized hub—all in a UI familiar to Discord users but built for broader utility.
“Root is redefining how communities work,” said Jack Dunlop, a gaming creator and early investor. “It’s not just a better chat—it’s a new platform for how people get things done together.”
Root’s engineering team includes veterans from Microsoft, Google, Intel, and Boeing, with a full platform launch expected later in 2025. Developers can build and publish JavaScript-based apps directly within the platform, while early adopters can join the closed beta by signing up at rootapp.com.
About Root
Founded in 2023, Root is a customizable social platform for online communities, offering built-in communication tools and an app framework for community-driven development. Its mission is to power the next generation of digital groups through extensible infrastructure and seamless collaboration tools.
