Five to Nine is a technology company.
Five to Nine has raised $4.2M across 2 funding rounds.
Five to Nine has raised $4.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Five to Nine has raised $4.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Five to Nine's investors include Next Play Ventures, Tuoc Luong, Ecliptic Capital, LvlUp Ventures, Osney Capital, Quake Capital.
Five to Nine is a Black women-owned SaaS company that provides an easy-to-use platform for managing and evaluating corporate events, both virtual and in-person.[1][3][5] It targets employee experience leaders handling ERG events, manager training, recruiting, and other internal programs, automating busywork, integrating workflows, and delivering analytics on event impact to boost employee engagement and belonging.[1][2][3][6] With 14 employees headquartered in Chicago, the company raised $4.25 million in seed funding in 2022 to expand engineering, product development, and team growth, showing steady momentum in the HR tech space.[1][2][4]
Founded in 2018 (launched 2019) by co-founders Jasmine Shells (CEO) and Denise (COO), both former people leaders who faced event management pains like scattered spreadsheets and siloed surveys.[1][3][5] Frustrated by tools that hindered understanding program effects on retention and productivity, they built Five to Nine to centralize programming for inclusive workplaces where employees bring their full selves beyond the 9-5—hence the name "Five to Nine."[3] Early traction included selection for Morgan Stanley's Multicultural Innovation Lab in 2022, validating their focus on DEI-driven tech as a woman- and minority-owned startup.[2]
Five to Nine rides the wave of hybrid work and DEI priorities, where companies invest in tools to foster belonging amid remote/onsite shifts and talent retention challenges.[3][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic demand for scalable internal events—virtual ERGs and trainings surged, but fragmented tools lagged, creating an opening for integrated HR tech like theirs.[1][2] Market forces like rising employee expectations for authentic experiences and analytics-driven people ops favor it, especially as competitors like Airmeet focus more on external events.[2] It influences the ecosystem by empowering underrepresented founders in HR SaaS, advancing workplace inclusivity one event at a time.[2][3]
Five to Nine is poised to scale as HR tech consolidates around employee experience platforms, with seed funding fueling AI-enhanced analytics and global expansions.[2][4] Trends like AI-driven personalization and DEI mandates will shape its path, potentially integrating with broader EX suites for enterprise wins. Its influence may grow by setting benchmarks for minority-led innovation in event tech, turning event busywork into belonging drivers—proving people are indeed more than their 9-5.[3]
Five to Nine has raised $4.2M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in April 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2022 | $4.0M Seed | Next Play Ventures, Tuoc Luong | |
| Jul 1, 2018 | $150K Seed | Ecliptic Capital, LvlUp Ventures, Osney Capital, Quake Capital |