Making Space, a B2B SaaS platform dedicated to talent acquisition and learning for Disabled individuals, has successfully closed an oversubscribed $2 million pre-seed funding round. Led by Beta Boom and supported by a diverse group of investors including JFFVentures, FullCircle, American Student Assistance (ASA), ECMC Foundation, SmartJob, Mindshift Capital, and Techstars, this funding will propel the company’s mission to improve education and employment opportunities for Disabled workers.
- Successful Funding Round
- $2 Million Raised: Making Space secured $2 million in a pre-seed funding round that exceeded its original target.
- Investor Support: The round was led by Beta Boom, with notable participation from JFFVentures, FullCircle, and other key investors.
- Milestone for Disabled Entrepreneurs: This achievement is significant given that Disabled entrepreneurs are 400 times less likely to secure venture capital funding.
- Founder’s Vision and Background
- Keely Cat-Wells: A second-time founder, Cat-Wells previously led a company acquired by Whalar in 2022, focusing on Disabled talent in the creative industries.
- Sophie Morgan: Co-founder with Cat-Wells, both founders have firsthand experience of the challenges faced by Disabled individuals in accessing education and employment.
- Mission and Approach
- Bridging the Gap: Making Space addresses the challenges faced by Disabled individuals by integrating job-specific education into the talent acquisition process.
- AI-Powered Tools: The company’s “Compass” AI tool, set for a public release soon, turns lived disability experiences into transferable skills and career pathways.
- Impact and Vision
- Democratizing Education: In its first year, Making Space has provided free, accessible education to over 1,800 Disabled individuals.
- Strategic Partnerships: The company has partnered with major corporations like Netflix and NBC Sports to create job opportunities for Disabled talent.
- Netflix Partnership: Focuses on building a pipeline for Disabled graphic designers.
- NBC Sports Partnership: Aims to enhance opportunities for Disabled talent during the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, including hiring the first-ever Disabled hosts for NBC’s Paralympics coverage.
- Quotes from Key Figures
- Virginie Raphael, Founder & Managing Partner, FullCircle: “Making Space is capturing a massive labor arbitrage opportunity by unlocking a previously untapped net new pool of talented and pre-qualified workers. Clearly this is not merely a potentially fleeting initiative.”
- Sergio Paluch, Managing Partner, Beta Boom: “At Beta Boom we love to back founders that have displayed superhuman tenacity and resilience. Making Space is bridging the gap between overlooked talent and world-class opportunities, and that’s just the beginning.”
- Alexa Pritting, Supervising Producer of the Paralympic Games, NBC Sports: “Our partnership with Making Space has already proven beneficial prior to our coverage of the Paris Games. We cannot wait for all of the tremendous work we will continue to do once the Games begin and as we work to increase representation in the sports world and beyond.”
Making Space’s successful funding round marks a significant step forward in their mission to provide accessible education and job opportunities for Disabled individuals. The new funding will support their innovative approach to talent acquisition and learning, with the goal of creating a more inclusive and equitable job market for all.
