Omaze Lands $30M Series B Toward Goal Of Raising $1B For Charities

Online fundraising platform Omaze secured a $30 million Series B—its largest funding to date—to advance its offering of once-in-a-lifetime experiences and prizes to support nonprofits around the world, the company announced Thursday.

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FirstMark Capital led the investment, along with participation from Causeway Media Partners, BDMI, Tusk Ventures, Inherent Group, Gaingels, Penni Thow’s Copper and Guy Oseary. Including the new capital, Los Angeles-based Omaze has raised a total of $42 million, including a $12 million Series A round that culminated in 2018, according to Crunchbase data.

In addition to the raise, Thow and Wyc Grousbeck, Boston Celtics lead owner and co-founder of Causeway Media Partners, will join Omaze’s board of directors, the company said.

Co-founded by CEO Matt Pohlson in 2012, Omaze is best known for its celebrity campaigns, offering experiences with Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and George and Amal Clooney. It also has secured prizes, such as exotic cars and million-dollar homes.

The company said it will use the new funds to help it scale to raise $1 billion for charity and accelerate its international expansion.

“We’re grateful to close this round during a challenging year and fundraising environment,” Pohlson said in a written statement. “It’s a testament to the resiliency of our team and the generosity of our community. These funds come at a critical inflection point for the company.”

To date, Omaze has brought in more than $130 million to support over 350 charities, the company said.

Illustration: Li-Anne Dias