Root Raises $9M in Funding to Build a Next-Gen Discord
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2025 2:25 pm
Root Raises $9M in Funding to Build a Next-Gen Discord
New platform revolutionizes community and communication with a cutting-edge app model
LOS ANGELES (June 17, 2025) — Root, a next-gen social platform that combines modern community and communication features with a first-of-its-kind app hosting model, today announced it has raised $9 million in seed funding led by Headline Ventures and Konvoy Ventures. Additional participants include Day One Ventures, Untamed Ventures, Kun Gao (Founder of Crunchyroll and Forge), Jack “CouRage” Dunlop, Clark Valberg, and other strategic investors. Root’s closed beta begins soon and those who join the waitlist today at rootapp.com will get the opportunity to explore Root first.
Hundreds of millions of people use chat platforms like Discord and WhatsApp to stay connected. These platforms are built for casual chat, not social productivity, and lack the features passionate communities need to move forward: scheduling, recruiting, strategizing, and shared wikis. Root is built for what comes next: giving communities and developers the power to extend, customize, and evolve their spaces. With familiar social features and a customizable app framework, it empowers communities to organize, coordinate, and get things done—starting in gaming, and reaching far beyond.
"I've spent years building a community around gaming, so I’ve seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t,” said Jack “CouRage” Dunlop, a leading gaming creator with over 4.6 million subscribers on YouTube, and an early investor in Root. “When Jesse walked me through what he and the team were building, it just clicked. Root is redefining how communities work and I’m excited to be an early investor in Jesse’s vision. I’m looking forward to my viewers getting into Root and seeing everything it has to offer.”
At launch, Root will offer first-party apps like Raid Planner for organizing MMO events, Task Tracker for managing community projects and gameplay strategy, and a customizable StickerWall for sharing and creating visual flair. The platform is built from the ground up for additional app development by anyone who can use JavaScript. Every app on Root runs directly on the platform and integrates into communities, meaning developers won’t need to worry about hosting, scaling, or security.
"I've been a hardcore gamer and Discord user for years, and I’ve felt the same friction points for just as long,” said Jesse Dietrichson, CEO and Founder of Root. “Planning, finding important info, coordinating—it’s all still clunky. I’ve been thinking about this problem for a long time. Discord was revolutionary when it launched, but it hasn’t evolved with the needs of modern communities. Now, with an IPO on the horizon, I get why they’re playing it safe. But that’s exactly where Root comes in. We’re building for the next generation of communities, with a platform that doesn’t just talk—but actually works. What excites me most is opening it up to developers to build the tools we haven’t even thought of yet. That’s where things get really powerful.”
Built by engineers and industry leaders from Microsoft, Google, Intel, and Boeing, Root brings a host of quality-of-life upgrades that feel instantly familiar to Discord users—like file folders, tabbed communities, and a multi-paneled chat UI—while adding smarter tools like a central notification hub and robust file search. It’s designed for people who juggle multiple groups and conversations, making it easier to stay organized, responsive, and in control.
“Root is that rare generational leap—the kind of shift in platform thinking that doesn’t come around often,” said Matthew Brown, Vice President at Headline Ventures. “It’s not just a better version of what’s out there—it’s a complete reimagination of how online communities organize, grow, and thrive. For us, Root represents a unique opportunity to support a team building foundational infrastructure for the future of digital connection. We’re incredibly excited to be part of what’s next.”
To sign up for the waitlist and for more information, visit https://www.rootapp.com. Developers can learn more about building apps for publishing on the Root app store at rootapp.com.
About Root
Founded in 2023, Root is a next-generation social platform that combines communication tools with a customizable app framework, allowing communities to organize, coordinate, and extend their functionality through apps. Root’s closed beta begins soon, with a full platform launch planned for late 2025. Users can join the waitlist at rootapp.com.
New platform revolutionizes community and communication with a cutting-edge app model
LOS ANGELES (June 17, 2025) — Root, a next-gen social platform that combines modern community and communication features with a first-of-its-kind app hosting model, today announced it has raised $9 million in seed funding led by Headline Ventures and Konvoy Ventures. Additional participants include Day One Ventures, Untamed Ventures, Kun Gao (Founder of Crunchyroll and Forge), Jack “CouRage” Dunlop, Clark Valberg, and other strategic investors. Root’s closed beta begins soon and those who join the waitlist today at rootapp.com will get the opportunity to explore Root first.
Hundreds of millions of people use chat platforms like Discord and WhatsApp to stay connected. These platforms are built for casual chat, not social productivity, and lack the features passionate communities need to move forward: scheduling, recruiting, strategizing, and shared wikis. Root is built for what comes next: giving communities and developers the power to extend, customize, and evolve their spaces. With familiar social features and a customizable app framework, it empowers communities to organize, coordinate, and get things done—starting in gaming, and reaching far beyond.
"I've spent years building a community around gaming, so I’ve seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t,” said Jack “CouRage” Dunlop, a leading gaming creator with over 4.6 million subscribers on YouTube, and an early investor in Root. “When Jesse walked me through what he and the team were building, it just clicked. Root is redefining how communities work and I’m excited to be an early investor in Jesse’s vision. I’m looking forward to my viewers getting into Root and seeing everything it has to offer.”
At launch, Root will offer first-party apps like Raid Planner for organizing MMO events, Task Tracker for managing community projects and gameplay strategy, and a customizable StickerWall for sharing and creating visual flair. The platform is built from the ground up for additional app development by anyone who can use JavaScript. Every app on Root runs directly on the platform and integrates into communities, meaning developers won’t need to worry about hosting, scaling, or security.
"I've been a hardcore gamer and Discord user for years, and I’ve felt the same friction points for just as long,” said Jesse Dietrichson, CEO and Founder of Root. “Planning, finding important info, coordinating—it’s all still clunky. I’ve been thinking about this problem for a long time. Discord was revolutionary when it launched, but it hasn’t evolved with the needs of modern communities. Now, with an IPO on the horizon, I get why they’re playing it safe. But that’s exactly where Root comes in. We’re building for the next generation of communities, with a platform that doesn’t just talk—but actually works. What excites me most is opening it up to developers to build the tools we haven’t even thought of yet. That’s where things get really powerful.”
Built by engineers and industry leaders from Microsoft, Google, Intel, and Boeing, Root brings a host of quality-of-life upgrades that feel instantly familiar to Discord users—like file folders, tabbed communities, and a multi-paneled chat UI—while adding smarter tools like a central notification hub and robust file search. It’s designed for people who juggle multiple groups and conversations, making it easier to stay organized, responsive, and in control.
“Root is that rare generational leap—the kind of shift in platform thinking that doesn’t come around often,” said Matthew Brown, Vice President at Headline Ventures. “It’s not just a better version of what’s out there—it’s a complete reimagination of how online communities organize, grow, and thrive. For us, Root represents a unique opportunity to support a team building foundational infrastructure for the future of digital connection. We’re incredibly excited to be part of what’s next.”
To sign up for the waitlist and for more information, visit https://www.rootapp.com. Developers can learn more about building apps for publishing on the Root app store at rootapp.com.
About Root
Founded in 2023, Root is a next-generation social platform that combines communication tools with a customizable app framework, allowing communities to organize, coordinate, and extend their functionality through apps. Root’s closed beta begins soon, with a full platform launch planned for late 2025. Users can join the waitlist at rootapp.com.