WhoseYourLandlord closed on $2.1 million of seed funding as it aims to forge deeper connections within the housing industry.
The company won a 43North award in the 2019 competition and founder/CEO Ofo Ezeugwu still splits his time between here and his native Brooklyn. Ezeugwu said he is committed to building out his engineering and product teams in Buffalo.
WhoseYourLandlord is a software platform that seeks to forge meaningful communication between property owners and residential renters.
The company has spent several years on the public-facing side of its platform, seeking to engage renters.
It is preparing this year to launch its platform for landlords, building on partnerships he’s forged in Buffalo with groups such as Newmark Ciminelli and Savarino Cos.
“What we’ve learned about ourselves is we’re selling a process and an approach, not just a platform,” Ezeugwu said. “We emphasize a feedback-based culture which provides documentation and insights on how you can improve.”
The company closed its round in 2021, making it the 36th local startup that raised money that year. The round was led by Miami-based Black Operator Ventures and announced today at the onset of Black History Month.
Several other venture capital firms, strategic investors and angels contributed to the round. One of those angels was Ezeugwu’s friend Michael Tobin, the owner of Fresh Catch Poke Co. restaurant in Williamsville.
Ezeugwu said WhoseYourLandlord is now focused on scaling its business with property owners and building out its team to handle the increase in business. Mark Taylor, director of UX and product design at Orchard Park software firm Mongoose, is serving as a mentor in hiring engineers, he said.
“If you’re in Buffalo and you’re looking for opportunities at a startup, let’s have a conversation,” Ezeugwu said. “I think we can do some really cool things together.”
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