NEW YORK, June 10, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dave Kerpen, founder and CEO of Likeable Local announced that he has closed a seed round of fundraising with $660,000. The lead investors are Thomas DiBenedetto, entrepreneur, limited partner of the Red Sox and president of Junction Investors, and 500 Startups' New York City office. Additional investors include friends and family of both Dave Kerpen and new Chief Technology Officer Hugh Morgenbesser.
Likeable Local makes social media easy and effective for small businesses through automated creative content to engage customers, targeted social advertising to acquire new customers, and Facebook applications to drive new leads. Launched in beta last year as Likeable Dentists, in conjunction with Fortune 500 partner Henry Schein, Likeable will use the funds raised to build out their development and sales teams, expand to many additional verticals, and launch a mobile application.
Said Kerpen, "With Likeable Media, we've proven that brands who use social media right get great results. But millions of small businesses still struggle with social media. Now, thanks to these funds, we can help small businesses everywhere use social media right. Our mission is: Likeable businesses on every Main Street."
"I'm excited to be part of Likeable Local, a great brand with an even greater mission. Dave and his team will change the way small businesses use social media," said lead investor Thomas DiBenedetto.
Shai Goldman, Venture Partner from 500 Startups added, "Most local businesses are still not leveraging the power of social media to connect with potential and existing customers. The Likeable Local team has demonstrated the ability to help them via multiple channel partners and we are excited to be involved in the direction they are headed."
Hugh Morgenbesser leads the product team in Portland, Maine. Morgenbesser, most recently a Senior Software Engineer at Trip Advisor, holds degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT. Dave Kerpen leads the sales and marketing team out of New York City. Kerpen previously cofounded and served as CEO for Likeable Media, a twice-ranked-INC 500 social media marketing agency, and is the New York Times Bestselling author of Likeable Social Media and Likeable Business. Likeable's 11-person Board of Advisors includes Nihal Mehta, CEO of Local Response, Mark Roberge, SVP of Sales & Services at Hubspot, Chris McCann, President of 1-800-Flowers.com, and Edward Zuckerberg DDS, Dentist and father to Mark Zuckerberg.
Likeable Local closed on its first tranche of a convertible debt financing in which it is offering up to $910,000, and expects to close on the remainder in the coming months. The company expects to raise its Series A funding in 2014.