0 ▁users ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁ 3 ▁months . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁M ins hew , ▁Cav ou la cos , ▁and ▁Mc Cre ery ▁applied ▁to ▁Y ▁Com bin ator ▁at ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁their ▁ad visor ▁Rach el ▁Sk lar . ▁They ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco ▁for ▁the ▁interview ▁and ▁were ▁accepted ▁into ▁the ▁program ▁that ▁same ▁day . ▁The ▁found ers ▁moved ▁to ▁Sil icon ▁Valley ▁for ▁ 8 ▁months ▁during ▁Y ▁Com bin ator ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁fund ra iser , ▁after ▁which ▁they ▁decided ▁to ▁locate ▁their ▁headquarters ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁starting ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁" The ▁divers ity ▁of ▁the ▁N . Y . C . ▁te ch ▁and ▁startup ▁scene ▁won ▁us ▁over " ▁said ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁by ▁biz j ourn als . com . ▁ ▁In cluding ▁initial ▁fund ing ▁from ▁Y ▁Com bin ator , ▁ 5 0 0 ▁Start ups , ▁and ▁others , ▁The ▁Muse ▁received ▁$ 1 . 2 ▁million ▁in ▁seed ▁fund ing ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁to ▁continue ▁growing ▁the ▁business . ▁ ▁After ▁re - brand ing ▁to ▁The ▁Muse ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁a ▁final ist ▁in ▁The ▁Wall ▁Street ▁Journal ▁Start up ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁competition ▁in ▁Fall ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁Ty ra ▁B anks ▁and ▁others ▁inv ested ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁in ▁The ▁Muse ▁in ▁February ▁ 2