Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds operates as a SaaS platform that facilitates connections between brands and hyperlocal content creators to generate authentic, city-specific social media content. The company was founded in 2019 by CEO Emily Steele and COO Charise Flynn and is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Steele, a Des Moines native, drew upon her experience running a local marketing agency and her passion for community-building to establish the company. Flynn contributes two decades of experience in scaling technology companies and raising venture capital. Together, as Iowa-based female founders, they aim to address a gap in the influencer market by focusing on local communities.

The business model centers on a two-sided marketplace that connects brands with a network of local creators, known as "hummingbirds". Rather than focusing on influencers with large national followings, the company targets everyday people with genuine local connections, such as PTA moms and weekend warriors. These creators participate in brand campaigns in exchange for perks like free products, services, or experiences, rather than direct payment. This approach is designed to foster word-of-mouth marketing at a city-specific level, serving industries like retail, tourism, and consumer packaged goods. Brands access the platform to set up campaigns, review interested creators across multiple cities, and can repurpose the generated content for their own marketing strategies. The company has demonstrated significant traction, reporting results such as a 9x higher engagement rate than the industry standard and a 4x-14x increase in sales in pilot programs.

Hummingbirds has successfully secured over $10 million in seed funding across multiple rounds. A notable funding round in October 2024 raised $5.4 million, with participation from investors including Allos Ventures, M25, and Next Level Ventures. This capital is intended to fuel national expansion, with the company having grown from 3 to over 20 cities. The firm's strategy involves building creator communities in each new city using a replicable playbook. This hyperlocal focus allows both emerging local businesses and national brands to connect with customers in specific markets.

Keywords: hyperlocal marketing, influencer marketing platform, local content creators, nano-influencers, word-of-mouth marketing, community marketing, brand advocacy, user-generated content, SaaS platform, creator economy, local advertising, customer acquisition, consumer packaged goods marketing, retail marketing, city-specific campaigns, brand activations, Des Moines startup, female-founded company, venture capital, community building