Startup profile for Totem: what they do, why they are interesting, stage (pre seed), industries, and links to our funding articles. Part of the Venture Capital Tracker startup directory.
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Startup profile · funding coverage

Totem startup funding profile

Event-tech compass hardware and app for finding friends at festivals without cell service.

Stage

pre seed

Status

private

Coverage

full

Overview

Totem builds a specialized compass and companion app that helps groups locate each other at concerts and festivals when cellular networks fail. Founded and headquartered in Chattanooga's Southside District (1428 Williams St), the company raised approximately $1.3M in a rolling pre-seed round from roughly thirty investors, including three Chattanooga-based angels.

Why Totem is interesting

Homegrown Chattanooga consumer hardware — not a Brickyard relocator. All employees work from the Southside District office; ~$1.3M pre-seed (2024–2025 reporting) billed as the largest pre-seed for a Chattanooga-born startup.

Product & use cases

Physical Totem compass device plus app for offline friend-finding at large events and festivals.

  • Festival and concert crowd navigation
  • Offline group coordination when cell networks overload
  • Event-tech consumer hardware with recurring software engagement

Key facts

  • ~$1.3M pre-seed (2024–2025) — largest pre-seed reported for a homegrown Chattanooga startup (Hypepotamus)
  • All employees based in Chattanooga Southside office — not a temporary Brickyard relocation
  • Tens of thousands of event users cited in company press

Fundraising history

Pre-Seed

2024 ~$1.3M
  • Rolling pre-seed syndicate (~30 investors) (participant)

Source: https://www.hypepotamus.com/totem-compass-pre-seed/

Competitive landscape

Edge: Purpose-built offline location compass versus generic messaging apps that fail when towers saturate.

Industries

Consumer Hardware & Semiconductors

Related funding articles

Venture Capital Tracker pieces that cover Totem's financing or category context.

FAQs about Totem

Practical answers founders, operators, and investors typically search for.

A compass hardware device and app for finding friends at events without relying on cell service.
Chattanooga, Tennessee (Southside District — 1428 Williams St).
No — Totem is homegrown Chattanooga with a lasting local HQ, unlike many Brickyard relocators who leave after PMF.
Approximately $1.3M pre-seed on a rolling basis (2024–2025 reporting).
Verified lasting Chattanooga HQ and the largest reported pre-seed for a locally born startup.
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Last updated: 2026-07-29