20VC: How We Got Fred Wilson, Benchmark and Index to Invest $94M | Why Robinhood's Strategy is Wrong | Why 1-1s are BS and What Every Founder Gets Wrong About Equity | Why Taste Beats AI But How AI Kills Org Charts with Paul Erlanger, CEO @ fomo

FOMO operates as a social-first mobile trading platform, distinguishing itself by integrating social graphs into financial markets to enable real-time transparency and community-driven conviction. Paul Erlanger, co-founder and CEO, emphasizes that the company’s success stems from a lean, high-ownership team of 17 that avoids traditional hierarchy and meetings to maintain operational speed. By utilizing an initial angel round of 140 investors, the platform effectively solved its cold-start problem, creating a robust distribution network. The business prioritizes verticalized infrastructure and creator-led content to drive growth, viewing AI as a tool to accelerate development rather than a replacement for human creative direction. By focusing on "immortal" brand assets and maintaining a rigorous, data-driven approach to user acquisition, the company provides global access to equities and perpetuals while fostering a sustainable, long-term trading ecosystem.