RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – INTERNET-FIRST MEDIA
- Chinese startup Toutiao raising funds at over $20 billion valuation Link
- Gimlet Media Raises $15 Million From Stripes Group, Emerson Collective Link
- Dice Media and Bustle Partner to Deliver Engaging Tech Career Content to Millennial Women Link
- Fact-Checking Site Snopes Raises More Than $500,000 in a Day to Avoid Shutdown Link
- AudioBoom, the posts huge revenue growth for H1 2017 Link
- Inshorts plans subscription model to drive revenue growth Link
- WPP Invests USD6.5 Million In Digital News Firm Mic Network Link
- Facebook Signs media content publishers Vox, BuzzFeed, Others For Original Video Services Link
- Group Nine to launch new verticals and video series beyond existing brands Link
- Quartz revenues up 60%, turns profitable Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
OMG Voice (2016, Accra, $1.10M) – Publishes original content on African pop-culture, entertainment, and lifestyle.
Group Nine Media (2016, New York City, $585M) – Digital media network with brand-leading properties in verticals such as Travel, News & Entertainment, Animals, and Science.
LEADER BOARD – INTERNET-FIRST MEDIA
Media Networks > Vertical
Vox Media (2003, Washington DC, 324.04M) – Digital media network which owns and operates multiple online editorial brands. Backed by Accel Partners, General Atlantic, Khosla Ventures, Allen & Company, Comcast Ventures, and NBCUniversal.
Minute Media (2011, Tel Aviv, $60M) – Sports media and technology company with individual brands for football, American sports, and e-sports. Backed by Qumra Capital, Battery Ventures, Dawn Capital, ProSieben, North Base Media.
Uproxx Media Group (2010, Culver City, $42M) – Owns and operates multiple digital brands across news, lifestyle, and entertainment verticals. Investors include Institutional Venture Partners, Advancit Capital, WPP, San Francisco 49ers, United Talent Agency, Multiplier Capital.
Media Networks > Multi-Sector
Leaf Group (2006, Santa Monica, $235.98M) – Owns and operates lifestyle media brands and consumer-facing marketplace properties. Backed by Spectrum Equity, Oak Investment Partners, and Capnamic.
Triboo Media (2014, Milan, $2.2M) – Media company with presence in digital publishing and digital advertising. Backed by First Capital. Became public on.
Purch (2003, Ogden, $175.5M) – Maintains 25+ brands in the technology and e-commerce verticals with yearly revenues of $100M+. Investors include Canso Investment Counsel Ltd, ABS Capital Partners, Highway 12 Ventures, Village Ventures.
Publishers > Multi-Category
Buzzfeed (2008, New York City, $496.8M) – Social news publisher and distributor, which operates local versions for different countries. Backed by NBCUniversal, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, RRE Ventures, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, SoftBank Group, Hearst, General Atlantic, Founder Collective, Crosscut.
Mic (2011, New York City, $61.16M) – News and media company targeting the millennials – tries to explain complex world problems to its target audience. Backed by WPP, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Time Warner, Kyu Collective, You & Mr Jones, Axel Springer SE, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Advancit Capital, Red Swan Ventures, Knight Foundation, Media Development Investment Fund, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, BA4V.
Huffington Post (2005, New York City, $37M) – Online news platform which sources content from its blogger network. Operates local versions for different countries. Backed by RRE Ventures, Oak Investment Partners, Greycroft Partners, SoftBank, Greycroft Partners, Oak Investment Partners, Lerer Hippeau Ventures.
Publishers > Lifestyle
Refinery29 (2004, New York City, $125.6M) – Digital media company focused on women’s fashion and lifestyle. Connects readers with editorial content, commerce, and the fashion community. Investors include Turner, Scripps Networks Interactive, WPP, Stripes Group, Floodgate Fund, First Round Capital, Hearst, Lead Edge Capital, Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Haystack Partners.
Thrillist (2005, New York City, $69M) – Digital lifestyle brand providing content on food, drink, entertainment, nightlife, gadgets, and gear in the US and the UK. Backed by Axel Springer SE, Oak Investment Partners, SoftBank, Lerer Hippeau Ventures.
Complex (2002, New York City, $60.51M, Acq) – Online magazine with a focus on music, style, pop-culture, and sports. Was acquired by Hearst and Verizon Wireless in 2016. Backed by Hearst, Iconix Brand Group, Wing Venture Capital, Tritium Partners, AVX Partners.
Publishers > Sports
Hupu (2004, Shanghai, $61.2M) – Sports commentary and news platform, which offers a variety of services including integrated sports marketing, event management, media distribution, online games, e-commerce, lottery etc. Backers include Greenwoods Asset Management, Haitong International Securities Group, Morningside Group.
The Player’s Tribune (2014, New York City, $58M) – Athlete driven online sports media platform which publishes first-person stories such as such as videos, podcast, player polls, and written pieces directly from athletes. Backed by Institutional Venture Partners, NEA, GV, Kobe Bryant, Legendary Entertainment.
Bleacher Report (2007, San Francisco, $42.30M, Acq) – Creates and curates team specific sports content and real time event coverage with the help of full-time writers and contributors. Acquired by Turner in 2012. Backers include Crosslink Capital, Hillsven, Oak Investment Partners, SoftTech VC.
Publishers > Business & Finance
Business Insider (2007, New York City, $65.6M, Acq) – Business blog, covering technology, media, law, Wall Street, investing and entrepreneurship. Acquired by Axel Springer in 2015. Backers include Axel Springer SE, Institutional Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, Bezos Expeditions, Allen & Company, Kohlberg Ventures, Pilot Group.
All Business (1999, San Francisco, $37.40M, Acq) – Online resource for small businesses providing them with essential tools, resources, and services. Was acquired by Dun & Bradstreet in 2007. Backers include Sutter Hill Ventures, VantagePoint Capital Partners, REV, Canaan Partners, Intel, Monitor Ventures.
Blue Whale Media (2012, Shanghai, $22.50M) – Online media platform which provides users with financial news and information related to funds, investments, TMT industry news etc. Backed by Tianfeng Securities Co, Xiaomi, Cheetah Mobile, CDH Investments, Rich Yield Capital, Stone capital.
Publishers > Entertainment
IGN Entertainment (1996, San Francisco, $35M, Acq) – Video game news & entertainment media company which provides video games & movies related blogs, news & reviews. Acquired by Ziff Davis in 2013. Backed by Generation Partners, Crosslink Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners.
iFensi (2005, Beijing, $29.50M) – Online media portal for movies and other entertainment related news. Offers an integrated service including blogs, social network, interviews, etc. Backed by Qianhai Indus buyout fund, 36Kr, Hanfor, China Equity Group.
CollegeHumor (1999, Los Angeles, $20M, Acq) – Comedy website that produces as well as crowdsources humorous content including articles, original videos, etc. Acquired by IAC in 2006. Backed by IAC.
Aggregators > News
Toutiao (2012, Beijing, $1.1B) – News aggregator, which combines social media usage data with in-app reading preference data to personalize content offered. Backed by Sequoia Capital, China Construction Bank, Sina, DST Global, SIG China.
Flipboard (2010, Palo Alto, $210.50M) – Curates and aggregates web links from content websites across topics such as news, food, style, fashion and health to business, technology, etc. and displays the content in magazine form. Backed by Rizvi Traverse Management, Goldman Sachs, KPCB, Index Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, Comcast Ventures, GGV Capital, Designer Fund, Asia Alpha, Vista Venture Partners.
SmartNews (2012, Tokyo, $90M) – News discovery platform which uses machine learning algorithms to evaluate articles, user behaviors, and social interactions to deliver the most interesting and important stories to its users. Backed by Development Bank of Japan, SMBC Venture Capital, Atomico, Globis Capital Partners, Social Venture Partners, GREE, Mixi, Social Starts.
Aggregators > News Stands
Zinio (2001, San Francisco, $54M) – A multi-platform distribution service for digital magazines with 5.5K+ magazines from a range of publishers. Backed by North Bridge, Commonwealth Capital Ventures, Apax Partners, IDEO, Intel Capital, NetOyster, NEA, Odyssey Investment Partners, Western Technology Investment, Future Perfect Ventures, Palisades Growth.
Texture (2009, Menlo Park, $50M) – Multi-platform digital newsstand which offers flat subscription plans for $9.99 and $14.99 per month. Founded by six publishers – Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp., Rogers Communications and Time Inc. Backed by KKR & Co. L.P.
Podcasts > Networks
Gimlet (2014, Brooklyn, $22.50M) – US-based podcast network which produces and distributes multiple shows. Backed by Stripes Group, Emerson Collective, Cross Culture Ventures, Betaworks, Graham Holdings Co, Knight Foundation, Lowercase Capital.
Dgital Media (2014, New York City, $9.70M) – Podcasting network which creates, distributes, and monetizes audio content with original programming in areas such as sports, business, tech, comedy, and news. Backed by Entercom Communications.
Podcasts > Aggregators
Stitcher (2008, San Francisco, $21.7M) – Podcast and digital radio station aggregator which provides user-specific recommendations based on listening habits and preferences. Backed by NEA, Benchmark Capital, New Atlantic Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital.
ACast (2013, Stockholm, $9.75M) – Curated and social podcast aggregator which provides extra multimedia content in the form of images, videos, and links enrich each narrative. Backed by Alfven & Didrikson, Bonnier Growth Media, Moor Capital.
Leader board includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
For latest updates, visit Internet-first Media feed.