Overview
Crunchbase is a leading platform that provides various types of information for private and public companies, including investments and funding information, founding members and individuals in leadership positions, mergers and acquisitions, news, and industry trends. Going public through a special-purpose acquisition company has become mainstream for 2021, and Crunchbase has gathered a list of VC-backed companies that are going public via SPAC in 2021. We will have a closer look at some of the names on the list and their domain name choices.
Namepicks
23andMe
23andMe is a California-based personal genomics and biotechnology company. In February 2021, 23andMe announced that it would merge with VG Acquisition Corp in a $3.5 billion transaction. The number in the company’s name comes from the fact that a wildtype human cell has 23 pairs of chromosomes.
Putting a number in the right place in a brand name will make the brand name effectively communicate the message the brand is passing across.
Thinkony team in interview for SmartBranding
23andMe operates on the exact brand match domain name 23andMe.com.
Astra
Astra, a rocket manufacturer, went public in a deal worth $2.1 billion in February 2021. Astra owns the exact brand match domain name Astra.com, which helps drive traffic and makes its marketing effective across all channels. The company is included in Smartbranding’s February 2021 recap: Which brands and domains made headlines.
Better
Better is a digital mortgage company that went public via SPAC at a $7.7 billion valuation in May 2021. The startup acquired the exact brand match domain better.com in 2015. The SEC filing revealed that the Better.com domain name was acquired in April 2015 for USD $1,820,000. Investing in a .com domain name that matches their brand name makes it easy for their customers, business partners, and investors to reach them.
Cazoo
Alex Chesterman, an entrepreneur, founded Cazoo in 2018 as an e-commerce platform where people can buy, rent, finance, and sell used cars. Cazoo went public in May 2021 at a $7 billion valuation. The company’s primary domain is Cazoo.co.uk, but it has also secured Cazoo.com to protect its brand and prevent traffic and email leaks. The company is included in our article Domains by Country: United Kingdom 2021.
Enovix
Enovix is a pioneer in developing and manufacturing advanced silicon-anode lithium-ion batteries. Enovix has secured Enovix .com for its brand presence online. An exact brand match .com name like Enovix.com is the natural choice of most internet users, making their marketing most effective across all channels.
Leafly
Leafly is a Seattle-based online cannabis marketplace that went public in August 2021 through a reverse merger with Merida Merger Corp. Leafly has secured an exact brand match domain name for their brand – Leafly.com. Our recent research shows that 54% of the top US cannabis companies participating in the study have secured an exact brand match domain name, and 88.9% operate on the .com extension.
Nerdy
Nerdy is a tutoring marketplace startup. The company merged with TPG Pace Tech Opportunities in January 2021. Nerdy has invested in the short, catchy, and exact brand match domain name nerdy.com. According to our research, exact brand match domains are the preferred choice of the top Edtech startups, with more than 70% operating on one.
Payoneer
Payoneer is a financial services company based in the United States that provides online money transfer, digital payment services, and working capital to its customers. As a global brand, Payoneer has chosen a matching global domain – Payoneer.com.
Proterra
Proterra is an automotive and energy storage company based in California. In January 2021, the company became publicly listed through a transaction with ArcLight Clean Transition Corp. Proterra owns the exact brand match domain name Proterra.com.
Rover
Founded in 2011, Rover operates an online marketplace for people to buy and sell pet care services. The company went public in February 2021 after completing its business combination with Nebula Caravel Acquisition Corp. As the companies above, Rover has secured the exact brand match domain name rover.com.
Highlight
The majority of the companies in the list, 96 out of 103, operate on .com domains. The .com domain name extension is used by more than half of all websites on the internet, thus making it the most natural choice for users to type in when it comes to domain names.
2 companies use .io, a common choice among startups, despite scandals about who, in fact, benefits from the sales of .io domains.
.ai is also used by 2 companies. Tech startups have widely adopted the extension as it is associated with a popular technology term (Artificial Intelligence).
1 brand uses the relatively new .tech extension, which has been adopted by various industries like entertainment media and web engineering, as well as tech and gaming startups and enthusiasts.
Exact brand match domains are used by 86 out of 103 entries.
Dash was used only in one case.
While we make every effort to ensure the data on our site is accurate, complete, and up-to-date, we cannot guarantee its reliability. Our data is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, or other advice. We strongly recommend that you independently verify any information before relying on it.
Other resources
- Top Venture Capital Firms and Their Domain Name Choices
- Stephane Nasser on the Rapid Growth of OpenVC and How to Secure Venture Funding
- 5 Most Common Ways to Get Your Domain Name Strategy Wrong
- What Makes Premium Domain Names Strategic Assets?
How does your brand name match your company vision? What new horizons can a better name open? Get in touch if you feel your brand deserves a better name, we are always happy to help.
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