Semafor, a New York-based media startup co-founded by Ben Smith, previously media columnist for the New York Times and editor in chief of BuzzFeed News, and Justin B. Smith, former CEO of Bloomberg Media Group, has raised $19 million in a new financing round, bringing its total raised to $34 million.
Launched in October 2022, Semafor has news bureaus in New York, Washington D.C, London, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa and will use the funding to return the $10 million in funds from Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of cryptocurrency company FTX whose has been charged with fraud, money laundering and campaign finance offenses.
According to Justin Smith, Semafor’s CEO, “Our investor group represents a diverse range of backgrounds with a shared sense of responsibility to support quality, independent global news and we thank them for their commitment to our mission.”
New investors include Gallup, Henry Kravis, co-founder and co-executive chairman of KKR; Jamal…
