The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

Student app valued at $1m sells equity

Co-founder+of+Trill+Izzy+Reiff+%E2%80%9918+and+Coco+Kaleel+%E2%80%9920+laugh+during+Trill%E2%80%99s+Launch+party.++The+modified+app+will+have+a+greater+focus+on+the+user+experience+and+is+scheduled+to+launch+Sept.+10.
Co-founder of Trill Izzy Reiff ’18 and Coco Kaleel ’20 laugh during Trill’s Launch party. The modified app will have a greater focus on the user experience and is scheduled to launch Sept. 10.

Co-founder of Trill Izzy Reiff ’18 and Coco Kaleel ’20 laugh during Trill’s Launch party. The modified app will have a greater focus on the user experience and is scheduled to launch Sept. 10.

Ari Sokolov ’18, Izzy Reiff ’18, Lexi So ’19, Sara Kangaslahti ’19 and Georgia Messinger (Brentwood School ’18) sold 5 percent of their company, The Trill Project, for $50,000, valuing it at $1 million. The Trill Project is an anonymous and secure app where users can safely discuss their personal lives.

“I want to grow our product to be the most engaging and supportive for our users as possible,” Sokolov said. “Everyone deserves a community where they belong.”

The group got their funding through Founders Bootcamp, a venture capital fund geared toward high schoolers.

They secured the investment after a three month selection process. Once accepted, they received funding and guidance from experienced mentors.

that The company will continue to moderate the app for safety in addition to their machine learning algorithms, which target the users most in need of help, Messinger said.

“If a user is being harmed or has been harming themself, we can offer resources and personalized and moderated support that can direct them to the emergency app that has shelters, hospitals, hotlines, medical attention and police resources nearby,” Messinger said.

The Trill Project hopes to continue to improve its app with a re-launch scheduled for back-to-school season, on Sept. 10, Messinger said.

“[Back-to-school season] is when suicide rates and depression are the highest, and we want people to know that they’re not alone,” Messinger said.

Messinger said they hope to sell more equity and have received a $500,000 offer from other potential investors. They will travel to Silicon Valley to field offers this October.

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Student app valued at $1m sells equity