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§ Private Profile · Minneapolis, MN, USA
Uncommon is a technology company.
Uncommon has raised $30.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Uncommon.
Uncommon has raised $30.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Uncommon provides a comprehensive brand growth platform named The Universe, which integrates industry data, retail media strategy, and proprietary technology solutions. The company develops tailored blueprints for brands, enabling them to optimize their market presence and performance within major retail channels, particularly Target. This approach focuses on driving sustained success and redefining traditional retail representation through a data-driven framework.
Nate Rajalingam founded Uncommon in 2021 with the insight that brands required specialized, integrated solutions to navigate and thrive within complex retail ecosystems. His vision addressed the evolving landscape of consumer commerce, recognizing the need for a strategic partner capable of combining deep retail expertise with advanced technological capabilities to unlock new growth opportunities for brands.
Uncommon's platform serves a diverse clientele of consumer brands, from emerging direct-to-consumer companies to established market players, all seeking to amplify their reach and impact in brick-and-mortar retail. The company is driven by a forward-looking mission to empower these brands to outcompete, outsell, and outlast competitors, shaping the future of modern retail representation.
Uncommon has raised $30.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Series A in June 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2023 | $30M Series A | Balderton Capital, Lowercarbon Capital | 14W, 2XN, AIX Ventures, ALT Capital, Bloomberg Beta, C2 Investment, Cantos Ventures, Kindred Ventures, LGF, Offline Ventures, Saga, Salesforce Ventures, Sweet Capital, The HIT Forge, Tiger Global Management, Akshay Kothari, Amjad Masad, BEN Silbermann, BIZ Stone, Marc Benioff, Spencer Kimball, MAX Altman, SAM Altman, Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni, East Alpha, Michael Sidler | Announced |
Uncommon has raised $30.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Uncommon's investors include Balderton Capital, Lowercarbon Capital, 14W, 2xN, AIX Ventures, Alt Capital, Bloomberg Beta, C2 Investment, Cantos Ventures, Kindred Ventures, LGF, Offline Ventures.
Key people at Uncommon.
Uncommon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in New York with operations in Zimbabwe, focused on bridging the digital divide by providing free technology education and employment opportunities to unemployed young adults and youth in low-income communities.[1] It runs solar-powered Innovation Hubs built from shipping containers, 12-month bootcamps for tech career launches, and after-school coding classes for primary and secondary students, aiming to teach everyone to code and build with AI tools for a thriving AI era.[1] In 2024, it served over 10,000 youth surviving on less than $5 per day, with 75+ bootcamp graduates securing full-time tech jobs earning 4x their peers' income, while expanding nationwide in Zimbabwe.[1]
Uncommon.org emerged from concerns over the digital divide, positioning itself as a scalable, financially sustainable nonprofit blending the best of nonprofit and for-profit models to make technology education accessible "everywhere."[1] Headquartered in New York, it established program operations in Zimbabwe via the Uncommon.org Trust, targeting high-density neighborhoods with nonexistent infrastructure.[1] Key early traction includes 2024's delivery of free in-person coding lessons to over 10,000 youth and unemployed adults, with bootcamp graduates not only gaining skills but also teaching coding to thousands of students at partner government schools, fostering a give-back culture.[1]
Uncommon.org rides the global AI and digital skills wave, addressing the urgent need for widespread coding proficiency as AI transforms economies, particularly in developing regions like Zimbabwe where youth face extreme poverty and infrastructure gaps.[1] Its timing aligns with AI's rise, making coding/AI literacy essential for survival and growth, amplified by market forces like remote work opportunities and tech talent shortages in Africa.[1] By creating a pipeline of skilled, purpose-driven developers from underserved areas, it influences the ecosystem through a "talent marketplace," exporting graduates to the global tech industry while building local capacity via school programs.[1]
Uncommon.org is poised to scale its model nationwide in Zimbabwe and beyond, targeting universal coding access amid AI's acceleration, with plans for financial sustainability to fuel expansion.[1] Trends like AI democratization and Africa's tech boom will shape its path, potentially amplifying its influence by producing high-impact talent that powers global innovation while uplifting local communities. This positions it as a vital bridge in the digital divide, turning "uncommon" obstacles into tech leadership.
