Suggestions
Merlin Kauffman
Founder + Former CEO + Chairman Of The Board at Soothe
Merlin Kauffman is a prominent American technology entrepreneur and investor born on July 20, 1985.2 He is the founder and executive chairman of Soothe, Inc., an on-demand massage app that has raised over $110 million in funding.4
Career Highlights
Kauffman's entrepreneurial journey began at a remarkably young age:
- At 11, he was hired by AOL12
- At 17, he bootstrapped his first startup2
- At 18, he co-founded eWireless, LLC, selling his 50% stake within a year1
In 2004, Kauffman founded True Magic, LLC, a prominent domain name investment firm. The company holds a portfolio of over 15,000 domain names, including valuable properties like Exclusive.com, Lookup.com, and Conferences.com.15
Notable Ventures
Soothe, Inc.: In May 2013, Kauffman founded Soothe, an on-demand massage therapy service. The company:
- Connects certified massage therapists to consumers in real-time
- Offers various massage modalities, including Swedish, deep tissue, and sports massage
- Provides corporate wellness services through Soothe At Work
- Expanded to 12 cities within two years of launch
- Raised $48 million by 20152
Investments and Advisory Roles: Kauffman has invested in numerous early-stage technology companies, including:
- Circa (2012)
- Fitspot (2016)
- Digits (2019)2
Current Role
Kauffman is currently associated with Magic Labs, where he holds the position of Creator.3 He is also known for his work in the NFT space, being the creator of Metasaurs and Metasaurs Punks, which has grown into one of the fastest-growing communities in the NFT world.6
Merlin Kauffman describes himself as a serial entrepreneur, startup advisor, investor, and intellectual property expert.3 His diverse experience and successful ventures have established him as a notable figure in the technology and entrepreneurship landscape.