SwipeSum CEO Michael Seaman didn’t know what to expect when he moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles in January 2018. But what started with Michael and his brother Stephen in a downtown coworking space has grown into a twelve-person team.
Michael said that Stephen had been living in St. Louis and convinced him to relocate to St. Louis so they could work together from the same space.
“When I got here, I was blown away by what St. Louis had to offer,” said Seaman. “If I stayed in LA, we would probably still be a two-man operation. St. Louis gave us access to top talent, great fundraising opportunities, and a surprisingly strong entrepreneurial ecosystem to support us.”
SwipeSum has made noise in the St. Louis startup scene over the past year, receiving multiple awards at St. Louis Startup Connection and being named an Arch Grants recipient in November. To close out their first year in St. Louis, SwipeSum announced the completion of their first funding round, receiving $1 million from local angel investors.
“SwipeSum has been a tremendous addition to the St. Louis startup ecosystem,” commented Arch Grants Executive Director Emily Lohse-Busch. “From their first pitch, we could see the enthusiasm they had not only for their business but for the city they’ve made their home. We were proud to award SwipeSum an Arch Grant and look forward to seeing what more they can add to this community.”
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Seaman recognizes the benefit that St. Louis has brought to his business and hopes to return the favor to the city.
“When we were looking for our new office, our biggest requirement was that we wanted to stay downtown,” he explained. “This city’s done a lot for us, and we want to continue contributing to its growth. Leaving it behind wasn’t an option.”
Ultimately, Seaman and his team settled on a space on Laclede’s Landing, steps away from the Gateway Arch.
“St. Louis is an iconic American city, and Laclede’s Landing is where commerce began here,” said Seaman. “We know things at the Landing have been slow for the past few years, but we believe it has a lot of potential and hope our presence helps to build a startup ecosystem downtown.”
According to Deborah Price with Missouri Partnership, Missouri is thrilled that SwipeSum has chosen to land and expand, in the state.
“Our financial services strengths, and our vibrant ecosystem and support system for companies like SwipeSum is one of many reasons we are an attractive and competitive place to invest,” said Price. “We look forward to celebrating this great addition to the St. Louis region.”
She’s not alone in her praise for the region and startups like SwipeSum.
“SwipeSum is a wonderful addition to Missouri’s thriving startup community,” said Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Rob Dixon. “The company recognized our business-friendly approach and the talent we have available in the region, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth and success in St. Louis.”
“The St. Louis region is a perfect place for any startup to expand its operations,” added Tom Chulick, President & CEO of the St. Louis Regional Chamber. “We’re thrilled to have SwipeSum investing in downtown St. Louis and welcome them as the latest member of our startup community.”
