Tech Socialite Soraya Darabi Is Back With A New Startup And $1.35 Million From NEA

Advertisement

Soraya DarabiLast month, OpenTable acquired Foodspotting, a company cofounded by Soraya Darabi, for $10 million.

Advertisement

Darabi left the company a few months prior and has said she's working on a new project. No one has really known what it is -- until now.

The entrepreneur and angel investor was mentioned today in a Form D filing uncovered by BetaBeat. According to the filing, Darabi's name is tied to a new startup named Zady.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

The form says Zady has raised $1.35 million, but it doesn't offer much more insight into Darabi's idea. A source tells us NEA led the round and Darabi worked a bunch of her angel connections to get the deal done.

The source also describes Zady as an ecommerce company that's like Etsy. Darabi's last company, Foodspotting, was an app that displayed pictures of local menu items. Maxine Kaye is Darabi's co-founder; the pair have known each other for a long time.

Advertisement

Darabi first made a name for herself at The New York Times where she ran its digital and social media efforts. She's pretty talented when it comes to social media. Darabi has amassed more than 400,000 Twitter followers herself.

But at Foodspotting, her social talents may have backfired. Some say she was brought on as an retroactive cofounder, then forced to leave because she stole face time without doing much to help run the company. It will be interesting to see how Darabi does in the CEO seat this time around.