Co-Founder, Chief Executive
Whatnot
Grant LaFontaine had a long career at Google and Facebook in product development. He founded Whatnot, a livestreaming shopping platform, in 2019. Whatnot was one of the first companies in the U.S. that capitalized on the social commerce trend popularized in China, whereby creators advertise different products online and make them immediately shoppable within the platform. The sector, called social commerce, has since become a popular way for users to buy items on TikTok and Instagram in the app itself, instead of having to click out of the platform and purchase the item elsewhere. Los Angeles has become a massive hub for social commerce companies. Whatnot has raised more than $750 million since it began six years ago.
YEARS ON LA500: 3 Years on the LA500
