Investor Type | Firm |
Industries | Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Media • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Energy • Logistics (& Distribution) • Real Estate (& Construction) |
Investing | United States |
GemShare is a service launched in 2013, dedicated to facilitating the exchange of high-quality recommendations for everyday services within a user's trusted network. The platform was designed as a response to the common question, 'Does anyone know a good...?', where taste, trust, and personal endorsements are significant factors. GemShare is structured to streamline referrals for a broad range of services, ensuring that the best local service providers, or 'gems,' are easily accessible and stored within the app. It covers an extensive array of daily needs where personal experiences and recommendations are crucial, including home improvement, academic tutoring, healthcare specialists, counseling, music and language lessons, childcare, and much more. Built as a mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, it simplifies the process of asking for and keeping track of recommended service providers among one's circle of friends and networks. The founders, busy working moms, aimed to transform and systematize the often informal exchanges of referrals that occur in social settings. Based in San Francisco, GemShare has gained the support of angel and venture capital investors, with contributions from Second Avenue Partners, Greylock Partners, individuals like Rich Barton, Mika Salmi, Ellen Levy, and others who recognize the venture's potential in the service recommendation market. While the current status of GemShare's online presence suggests that the domain is up for sale and may indicate a pivot or closure, during its operation, GemShare served as a trusted platform where personal recommendations for services could be shared and accessed efficiently within trusted networks, aligning with today's increasing reliance on community-based referrals and evaluations.