Image credits: Diem
A startup called Diem wants to tackle the problem of “search engine gender bias”, where results can produce masculine information by default, leaving many women feeling dissatisfied with the answers they receive online to taboo questions or personal. The company’s social search engine aims to provide a space for women and non-binary individuals to share personal stories and ask questions on a variety of topics, including sexual health, relationship issues, mental health, body positivity and much more.
Available as a web app and on iOS And Android devices, Diem is designed to feel like a giant group chat with people from all over the world, where users can talk about things they would normally say to their closest friends, like getting out of a toxic relationship, managing symptoms periods or managing an unhealthy body image. . There is even an option to ask questions anonymously.
The app also has an AI component where responses are pulled from reputable sources across the internet and, with the use of user-contributed content from ChatGPT and Diem, summarized through “a female lens”, claims the startup.
The company recently launched a host of features, including a referral tool called “Nominate Your Friends,” in which users invite friends to answer questions; “Spaces” or interest-centered micro-communities (similar to subreddits); and “Daily Briefing”, a personalized selection of 10 daily publications.
Diem has also recently partnered with verified content providers so users can get information from trusted sources. The top four companies are experts in the field of reproductive health, including a startup specializing in hormonal health. Aaviasexual telehealth clinic Hi Janevaginal health startup Evvy and women’s health brand Stix. Diem’s AI can now pull related articles directly from websites to answer a question. Diem will partner with more content providers in the coming months, including companies specializing in finance and relationships.
With the new nomination tool, users can directly share a question with a friend to join the conversation. In the future, users will be able to nominate community members who already have a Diem account. The “Nominate Your Friends” feature is also a way for Diem to expand its user base as users send their friends a link to the question, requiring them to register on the platform before answering. Diem currently has over 40,000 users, we’re told.
Spaces is a new beta feature designed to help members feel comfortable sharing important topics and common interests with others while generally connecting with members of the Diem community. Six spaces are available, hosted by members of the community and inspired by popular posts on the platform. For example, “Is This Normal,” “No Judgment, Please,” “SOS,” “Hidden History,” “Big Sis Advice,” and “Ask Me Anything.” The feature is expected to officially launch in a few weeks and Diem will roll out a new space every month. The platform also plans to allow influencers to also manage certain spaces.
Additionally, Diem plans to introduce two additional features this month, such as “Recommended Readings,” an AI-based recommendation feature for users to discover and discuss trending news articles, and a event feature allowing users to host in-person events with other members. from the community. The event feature is an extension of its insider program called Diem Society, an exclusive community of users who engage in monthly discussions to foster a deeper experience within the platform.
Although the company declined to share specific details, it plans a monetization feature to pay users for their content contributions.
Diem was founded by Emma Bates (CEO) and Divia Singh (COO) after Bates had to take the morning after pill.
“I found myself in that classic internet doom spiral, trying to interrogate other people’s experiences and find their stories,” Bates said in an interview with TechCrunch. “My research experience was in direct contrast to the real-world information sharing that exists at dinner tables, in private group chats, in nightclub bathrooms…I think there are so many moments where we rely on each other on top of each other to decipher. the world around us or the experiences we can have. And there is no real place that captures all of this information and makes it a resource for everyone.
Bates and Singh previously worked at DTC travel brand Away.
The company has raised $3.7 million in total, with Stellation Capital leading its latest funding round. Other investors include Acrew Capital, Flybridge, Techstars and XFactor Ventures, as well as angel investors Lindsay Kaplan, co-founder of Chief; Steph Korey, co-founder of Away; Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate; Amber Atherton, a newbie investor; and Abadesi Osunsade, founder of Hustle Crew.