Participated · Seed · Jul 2025

LeadStory provides an AI video search and on-demand news streaming service that answers user queries with licensed broadcast news clips to reduce AI hallucinations. The product, LeadStory ASK, surfaces exact points in broadcast stories from trusted publishers to deliver verifiable, multi-sourced video answers. The company partners with outlets including CBS, CNBC, Reuters, and Euronews to power its AI functionality. LeadStory reports a 10 million-strong global audience and operates FAST channels in a dozen markets on Samsung TV Plus and in North America on VIZIO. The startup was selected by Mercedes-Benz to power an in-car video news experience, and it plans to use new funding to roll out and expand its AI capabilities. Founded in 2021, the company announced the funding from New York.

Participated · Equity · May 2013

Skyword offers a content marketing software and services platform that helps brands produce, optimize, manage, and promote content across formats including articles, video, images, infographics, podcasts, and animations. The company provides access to a community of thousands of freelance writers and videographers plus an editorial team and program managers to support clients’ content programs. Customers have created and published more than one million original stories on the platform. Clients include Abbott Laboratories, ADP, AutoTrader, GE Health, Groupon, HP, IBM and other B2B and B2C brands. Skyword was founded in 2010 and is led by CEO Tom Gerace; its technology center is located in Pittsburgh, PA and the company is based in Boston, MA. The company said it will use the funding to accelerate growth and product innovation. Skyword offers a content marketing platform alongside professional services and access to a community of thousands of freelance writers, videographers, an editorial team, and program managers. The company combines software and services to help brands create and distribute original stories across formats including articles, video, images, infographics, podcasts, and animations. Brands have authored and published more than one million original stories on the Skyword Platform, which have been viewed over 1.5 billion times, and Skyword has paid freelance creatives more than $20 million. Its customer base in 2017 included B2B and B2C brands such as Abbott Laboratories, Lahey Health, HortonWorks, GE Health, Glenmede, and Groupon. Skyword is privately held and headquartered in Boston, MA, with a technology center in Pittsburgh, PA, and investors that include Cox Media Group, Allen & Company, Progress Ventures, and American Public Media Group. The company said it will use new financing to support revenue momentum and provide capital to reach profitability in 2018 while continuing to invest in growth. Skyword provides a proprietary content marketing platform that helps brands produce, optimize, and promote original storytelling at scale. The platform is complemented by access to a community of freelance writers and videographers, an editorial team, and program managers who support clients’ content programs. Skyword positions itself to liberate brands from ineffective marketing practices and to create deeper audience connections. The company is privately held and headquartered in Boston, Mass., with offices in Miami, Palo Alto, and New York and a technology center in Pittsburgh. Investors in Skyword include Cox Media Group, Allen & Company, Progress Ventures, and American Public Media Group. Skyword received a $5.5 million venture loan to support working capital as it pursues domestic and international expansion. Skyword is a Boston-based provider of a platform for original content production at scale. Led by founder and CEO Tom Gerace, the platform streamlines and automates steps in the content creation and publishing process and provides marketers and publishers with content intelligence. Features include an SEO scorecard assessment, content promotion across social channels, and the ability to track real-time search engine referral information to map content strategies to trending topics. The company also provides access to a community of more than 20,000 professional writers. Skyword intends to use the $6.7M growth financing to expand its team and scale operations. The company previously closed a $6M financing in December 2011. Skyword markets a digital content platform that provides brands and media companies a way to buy search‑engine‑ and social‑network‑friendly articles written by so‑called Skywriters. The company positions itself as a source of original, high‑quality content designed to reach large audiences across the internet. Articles on the platform are offered at very low cost, according to the reporting. Skyword is described in the coverage as a fledgling content farm. The company serves both brands and media organizations as customers. Financially, the only disclosed transaction in the article is a $6 million investment from Cox Media Group.