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Founder in Five: Q&A with Peanut’s Michelle Kennedy

Peanut founder Michelle Kennedy
Image credit: Peanut

Michelle Kennedy is the founder and CEO of Peanut, a social media platform that provides a safe space for women to connect.

Kennedy founded Peanut in 2017 when she had her first child but no one to turn to with her questions. The Peanut app provides forums for women to connect and discuss topics such as fertility and motherhood.

The London-headquartered startup has raised $17m (£12.7m), with the most recent round of funding coming in a $12m Series A in May 2020.

In the latest Founder in Five Q&A, Kennedy shares her top tips for raising funding, explains how communication is an important tool for Peanut to tackle burnout, and why women’s healthtech is an underserved market ripe for disruption.

1) What funding advice would you give to a first-time founder?

Michelle Kennedy: The general advice I would have is that the earlier you are, the more of a numbers game this is. Not only to raise money, but to refine your pitch. Pitching is learning every time you do it – from the moment you describe the problem you are solving through to the ask in terms of what you are raising and what you are going to achieve. It also allows you the opportunity to learn which questions are frequently coming up and address them early and head-on in your pitch....