Rork, a U.S.-based AI startup, raised $2.8 million in seed funding led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). This came after a viral tweet about their AI-powered mobile app creation tool attracted investor attention.
Founders Levan Kvirkvelia and Daniel Dhawan overcame financial struggles to achieve rapid success.
From Financial Struggles to Rapid Growth
Before their breakthrough, Kvirkvelia and Dhawan were in significant debt, each carrying $15,000 on credit cards. Kvirkvelia even slept on a friend’s mattress to save money. Their efforts finally paid off when Matt Shumer, an angel investor, praised Rork publicly on X (formerly Twitter), saying Rork’s product “blows Bolt out of the water.”
This tweet went viral, reaching over 1 million views and causing Rork’s usage to soar overnight. The attention led to a surge of investor interest, including early investments from Hustle Fund’s Elizabeth Yin and Founder’s Inc., totaling about $350,000 on the first day of the viral post.
What Rork Offers and Its Market
Rork allows users with limited technical skills to build mobile apps using simple text prompts. The platform focuses on mobile app creation, an area more complex than web development.
The founders describe themselves as offering a “Lovable for Expo and React,” referring to popular mobile development frameworks.
The team pivoted from a previous product after rivals launched competing tools like Lovable and Bolt. Despite competition, Rork launched simultaneously with Bolt, securing attention from investors and users alike.
Investor Support and Mentorship
Following the viral momentum, Rork connected with Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun program. The 12-week initiative supports early-stage startups with funding, cloud credits, and mentorship.
General partner Andrew Chen personally competed to secure Rork’s investment, demonstrating strong confidence in the team’s technical skills.
The founders accepted the seed funding and will join the Speedrun cohort starting July 28. As of two months after going viral, Rork reached $550,000 in annual recurring revenue.
Summary of Key Figures
| Founder | Debt Before Funding | Seed Funding | Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levan Kvirkvelia & Daniel Dhawan | $15,000 each | $2.8 million | $550,000 (2 months post-launch) |
Leave a Reply