Young Individual Leverages Artificial Intelligence to Engage in Intense Fan Cultivation
Hop on board this reimagined ride through the world of Under 30 newsletters! Why settle for reading this in your feed when you could have it delivered directly to your inbox? That's what Zehra Naqvi envisions with her latest venture, Lore.
Born in Hong Kong, Zehra was captivated by the digital expanses of Tumblr and Twitter. By the tender age of 15, she was orchestrating numerous "stan" Twitter accounts for One Direction, raking in an impressive 230,000 followers. Fast-forward a decade, and her fascination has blossomed into Lore.
Launched in January, Lore is an AI-driven search engine designed for "the obsessed and the nosy," as Naqvi puts it. The platform's algorithm seeks out niche corners of the internet—from fan theories to current news and historical contexts—mirroring the human effort to gather and aggregate various sources. It then smartly presents content and share feeds based on user interests.
"Information today is diluted and fragmented," Naqvi complains. Whether you're engrossed in a new TV show or suffering from book-obsessed syndrome, information can be hard to come by, as there's no avenue to find it again.
But Lore is still in its beta phase, with plans to eventually debut as an app. Despite that, the venture has already raised a substantial $500,000 in seed funding from investors like Village Global, who believes in Zehra's extraordinary potential in a space where having a competitive edge is crucial.
"We're all about the founders who have an edge in their sector," said Max Kilberg, an investor with Village Global. "Zehra's unparalleled experience as a digital community participant and consumer investor alike is something that truly sets her apart."
The allure of AI-driven search engines is evident in today's world. The market for Artificial Intelligence soared to an astounding $184 billion in 2023—projected to grow nearly sixfold by 2030[1]. Meanwhile, U.S.-based AI unicorns numbered 163 last year[2].
But it's not all sunshine and AI rainbows in the consumer sector. The landscape has been troubled in recent years, with a decline in venture capital investments for consumer product startups[3].
Yet, an optimistic Zehra believes that now is the right time to traverse this turbulent landscape. "AI has made things that I never thought were possible, possible," she says[3].
See you next week for more updates and insights,
Alex & Zoya
[1] Oracle.com. (n.d.). "Artificial Intelligence Market Growth and Opportunities." [2] Lab366.com. (n.d.). "The State of American AI Companies." [3] Crunchbase News. (2023). "Consumer Startup Funding Declines Again in 2023."
- Zehra Naqvi, the founder of Lore, is leveraging her experience as a digital community participant and consumer investor to subvert traditional information gathering methods with her AI-driven search engine, aiming to provide a more personalized and efficient service for users under 30.
- The investment in Lore by Village Global highlights the potential of leaders like Zehra in the startup scene, as the venture capital firm recognizes her unique edge and innovative approach to digital search engines, which is poised to disrupt the consumer market.
- Despite the challenges facing consumer product startups due to decreasing venture capital investments, visionary leaders like Zehra, who are utilizing advanced technologies like AI, are leading the charge in revitalizing the industry and offering new opportunities for growth in the digital age.
