A streaming service for stand-up comedy called Laugh.ly , which publicly launched this past August, has now closed on $2.25 million in seed funding led by New York Angels , the company announced today. Available for both iOS and Android devices, Laugh.ly is the first to offer an extensive library of comedians’ stand-up sets, with content from top names in the biz, including Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Louis C. K., Hannibal Buress, George Carlin, Chris Rock and others.
In addition to lead investors New York Angels, the round included participation from Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran, the Wharton Alumni Angel Network, Social+Capital, Backstage Capital, Treehouse Capital, Accelerator Ventures and Atlas Holdings.
Laugh.ly had previously raised funds through a SAFE note (the less complicated replacement for a convertible note.) The note included $750,000 from the founders, and $1.5 million from investors.
The startup debuted at TechCrunch Disrupt New York 2016 , where it was plucked out of the Startup Alley as one of the Startup Battlefield Wild Card winners, and earned the chance to pitch onstage to judges and VCs.
The startup has an interesting history. The app was created by Dave Scott, a serial entrepreneur with a background in e-commerce and marketing automation. But Scott explained that he found himself drawn to comedy, and later became a stand-up himself, doing open mic nights and attending San Francisco Comedy College.
