Scale Social AI raises $1.3M to turn real customer moments into local ads

Scale Social AI raises $1.3M to turn real customer moments into high-performing local ads

Scale Social AI has secured $1.3 million in pre-seed funding to help franchises and multi-location brands convert authentic customer moments into performance-focused local advertising. The round was led by LAUNCH and The Syndicate, both led by Jason Calacanis, with participation from RTP Angel Fund, Primordial Ventures, Charlotte Fund, Triangle Tweener Fund, Blue Valley Capital, and several strategic angels. The company also received a $50,000 SEED grant from NC IDEA Foundation earlier this year.

The timing makes sense. Corporate creative is fatiguing audiences, influencer rates keep climbing, and local teams are stretched. Marketers need content that feels real, moves fast, and ties to store traffic. That's the gap Scale Social AI is going after.

Why this matters for marketers

• Authenticity drives action. Brands are seeing stronger engagement when local customers tell the story.
• Cost efficiency. UGC can outperform polished brand assets while reducing reliance on paid creators.
• Local relevance at scale. Location-specific creative without overwhelming field teams.

How it works

Customers scan a simple QR code at the point of experience, then capture photos or short videos. The platform turns those clips into branded, short-form ads fit for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Google, and hyper-local ad networks.

Assets are formatted to brand standards and packaged for quick publishing. The goal: more traffic, more repeat visits, and stronger community engagement from people who actually visit your locations.

Early traction

Founder and CEO Runbin Dong says partners have seen measurable outcomes, including a 104% sales increase in specific tests. Early customers include quick-service brands like Osmow's and full-service concepts like Mimi Garden.

Interest is expanding beyond restaurants to gyms, studios, museums, and other experiential businesses-anywhere authentic moments are part of the visit.

What to test in your playbook

• On-site capture: Place QR codes at high-intent touchpoints (entry, table, checkout). Keep the flow fast: scan, shoot, submit.
• Consent and rights: Make usage rights clear in the flow. Offer a small perk for participation and disclosure if any value is exchanged.
• Brand guardrails: Upload logos, fonts, color use, and do/don't lists so creative stays on-brand without heavy reviews.
• Moderation and safety: Enable auto-filters for language/visuals and a quick human spot-check on anything that feels borderline.
• Channel mix: Test TikTok/Reels/Shorts for reach and local awareness; use Google/PMAX and hyper-local networks for intent and store visits.
• Attribution: Use UTMs, location-specific promo codes, store visit conversions, and holdout zones. Optimize on cost per incremental visit, not vanity metrics.
• Feedback loop: Surface top-performing creative to staff so they know what prompts more shareable moments.

Who's betting on it

The round was led by LAUNCH and The Syndicate, both run by Jason Calacanis, who described the model as identifying happy customers and turning those real interactions into a repeatable marketing cycle. Additional backers include RTP Angel Fund, Primordial Ventures, Charlotte Fund, Triangle Tweener Fund, Blue Valley Capital, and several strategic angels, including Mike Cristinziano (former SVP at Citrix and DigitalOcean).

Company background and what's next

Founded in 2025 and based in Durham, NC, Scale Social AI blends technical experience from IBM Watson with firsthand F&B operations. The platform has already produced thousands of authentic assets tied to measurable foot traffic for local and national brands.

With the new capital, the team plans to accelerate product development, expand partnerships and pilots, and streamline automation across onboarding, moderation, and ad activation.

If you're evaluating this category

• Start with a single region or 5-10 stores to validate unit economics.
• Align incentives with on-site teams; they drive QR adoption and moment creation.
• Define success: incremental visits, repeat frequency, and lift vs. baseline corporate creative.

Learn more

Company site: Scale Social AI

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Media contact

Runbin Dong, CEO, Scale Social AI - media@scalesocialai.com