Sign In

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.

Highlights

May 8 · linkedin

It was 5 years ago that I created Soothe, and today, we have just announced raising an additional $31M of funding from our private equity partners at Riverside Company, for a total of $78.6M raised to date.

I’m stepping down as CEO and transitioning to Chairman of the Board, and handing the baton to our current CFO, Simon Heyrick. Congratulations - I know you will do well as the new CEO of Soothe.

Thanks to everyone who made Soothe possible, especially my technical co-founder Bradley Herman who laid the foundation for the first 18 months, and Chris To who took over the role of CTO, and has been by my side leading the charge to this point.

And the biggest thanks to our 12,500 massage therapists who spread the relaxation of massage over 65 cities and 4 countries (US, Canada, UK, and Australia). Without you and the rest of the team led by Jeff Bishop, Jason Cai, Matt Liebman, and Bill in Vegas, Soothe wouldn’t be possible.

It’s been an amazing journey, and there is something bittersweet about arriving at the destination. However, I know the ride has only just begun, as I await inspiration for my next voyage.

Thanks everyone for the love and support along the way.

Jul 26 · linkedin

Soothe At Work is growing very fast. We would love to relax your office with chair massage services as a wellness benefit.

Increase your office productivity and boost happiness and morale with Soothe At Work.

Reach out to [email protected], and we will set you up with a complimentary trial.

Related Questions

What is Magic Labs' main focus or product?
How did Merlin Kauffman transition from domain name investments to Magic Labs?
What are some notable projects Merlin Kauffman has worked on at Magic Labs?
How has Merlin Kauffman's experience at AOL influenced his career?
What other companies has Merlin Kauffman invested in or founded?
Merlin Kauffman
Merlin Kauffman, photo 1
Merlin Kauffman, photo 2
Add to my network

Location

San Juan, Puerto Rico