Participated · Series A · Feb 2022

Tagboard offers cloud-based production software that lets content producers integrate graphics, interactive tools, social media, and more into live broadcasts across channels. The company launched more than a decade ago to help sports teams display social media content and has since expanded to serve sports, news, entertainment, and other brands. It has about 50 employees and more than 600 clients, including the NBA (via its Launchpad program), ESPN, FOX Sports, and UFC. Recent product work includes integrations with Adobe Photoshop and real-time production analytics from Amazon Web Services. Tagboard is exploring generative AI to quickly build contextual graphics for media producers, according to CEO Nathan Peterson. Financially, the company has raised $17 million to date, including a $4 million round announced most recently and a separate $8 million round last year. Tagboard develops live production and graphics technology used by sports and entertainment companies. The company is described as the world’s leading cloud graphics and production platform, used daily by hundreds of media, entertainment and sports organizations to produce more impactful stories, save time and drive stronger fan engagement. Its proprietary software enables producers to create shows from anywhere with an internet connection, offering an intuitive graphics interface, one-click access to social content, and interactive QR code and polling for cross-channel engagement. Tagboard employs 40 people and is led by CEO Nathan Peterson, who was promoted in January. Founded in 2011 and based in Redmond, WA, the company recently raised additional capital as part of its Series A. Tagboard provides a cloud-native production and graphics platform used daily by media, entertainment and sports organizations to produce interactive stories and live graphics. Its proprietary software offers an intuitive graphics interface, one-click access to social content, and interactive QR code and polling features for cross-channel engagement. The platform allows producers to create shows from anywhere with an internet connection, saving time and driving fan engagement. Tagboard counts more than 600 media partners worldwide, including Sinclair Broadcast Group, CNN, NBC Sports, NFL Network, Riot Games, FOX Sports, E! Networks, Major League Baseball and Turner Sports. Led by CEO Nathan Peterson and Founder/Chairman Josh Decker, the company says it will use new capital to accelerate product development and go-to-market activities. Financially, Tagboard announced an $8M Series A and had previously raised $5.7M in seed funding from investors including long-time partner Keshif Ventures. Tagboard builds landing zones for specific hashtags and topics so users and brands can find and follow social media conversations in real time. Brands can customize the design and imagery of their Tagboard pages to shape those conversations. The company has partnered with sports teams including the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Seahawks, and brands such as Boeing, Audi, and Outback Steakhouse. Founded by CEO Josh Decker with Sean Sperte and Tim Shimotakahara, the Redmond startup now employs about 15 people. Tagboard announced $2 million in funding and said several major partnerships are in the works, particularly ahead of football season. Executives noted unexpected enterprise demand from conference organizers, churches, and large sports brands and said they plan to adapt if social-media trends change. Tagboard aggregates posts from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and App.net into hashtag-specific pages that act as landing zones for topics and events. Brands can customize the design and imagery of their pages and purchase premium, fee-based pages with analytics to control and frame conversations. The company positions itself to reduce hashtag noise by surfacing interactive, curated streams around a topic or event. Tagboard has already secured a partnership with the University of Washington athletics department (GoHuskies.com) as an early customer and traction point. Founded last November by CEO Josh Decker with Tim Shimotakahara and UX designer Sean Sperte, the company operates with a lean seven-member team. Financially, Tagboard has raised nearly $700,000 in angel funding, including a notable investor who was one of Facebook's first employees.

Participated · Series A · Dec 2020

GreenPark Sports operates a mobile platform that marries communities of sports fans and esports fans, enabling members to compete and earn in-app rewards. The company announced a $31 million Series B raise and will deploy the capital to further develop its product. GreenPark recently partnered with Immutable X to bring NFTs to its community, enabling users to earn, trade, and protect digital items. The firm plans its first NFT drop in the coming weeks and aims to integrate NFTs with the core experience by early 2022. CEO Ken Martin said the company is focused on creating a new fan experience and expanding social ways for fans to connect and activate their fandom. The platform emphasizes a fan-first approach and intends to use the funding to push product development and community engagement. GreenPark Sports builds a mobile, free-to-play fan-engagement app that merges popular game mechanics with sports fandom, letting users compete in team and individual challenges and earn digital jerseys, hats and other gear. The app is designed to appeal to younger sports-minded casual fans who also play games, from casual mobile titles to competitive esports. GreenPark plans a Q1 2021 launch and has a multiyear partnership with the NBA and an existing deal with the League Championship Series (League of Legends). The platform will feature virtual areas devoted to pro leagues with every team represented and intends to monetize through advertising, virtual goods sales and other in-app purchases. The company is roughly two years old and is co-founded by Ken Martin (CEO), YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley and Zappos founder Nick Swinmurn, who are also minority NBA team owners. GreenPark recently completed a Series A financing, giving it fresh capital to execute its launch and league partnership plans. GreenPark Sports is building a live, social game for sports fans that is designed to be played alongside live events rather than after them. The product will pipe in live game data starting with the NBA and expand to other leagues, and it emphasizes visualizations, gamecast-like data, highlight clips and social viewing. Players will use cartoon avatars with facial expressions and full-body gestures, compete on leaderboards and interact in a massively multiplayer fan arena; the experience is free-to-play. Monetization plans mentioned include virtual clothing and digital team apparel for avatars. The company positions itself as an alternative to fantasy sports and sees opportunity among millennial and Gen Z fans. GreenPark plans a closed beta and a broader launch in spring 2020. The founding team includes YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley, Nick Swinmurn (Zappos co-founder) and Ken Martin (founder of marketing agency BLITZ). Financially, GreenPark completed an $8.5 million seed round to fund early development and launch.

Participated · Series C · Oct 2018

ZypMedia builds a tech stack to help local broadcasters move into programmatic advertising, enabling campaigns that reach advertisers’ target audiences across traditional and digital channels. It partners with local media companies to act as their direct sales force and has signed partners like Sinclair Broadcast Group and Univision. The company was founded by Aman Sareen, Ramandeep Ahuja, and Mark Goldman. ZypMedia became profitable last year. The new funding is intended to expand the product lineup and support plans to double headcount in the United States and India over the next year. Management said it deliberately raised a modest amount to leave room for organic growth and to avoid the pitfalls seen at other adtech companies. ZypMedia (fka ExtendTV) operates a technology platform that optimizes performance and delivery of local advertising campaigns. The company provides programmatic media-buying services and integrates with multiple ad exchanges, publishers, and data providers to access inventory across desktop, mobile and connected TV. It signed a long-term commercial agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group to offer services through Sinclair’s salesforce across 79 markets. ZypMedia plans to use new funding to further develop its proprietary platform and roll out products and services nationwide. Leadership includes co-founder and CEO Mark Goldman, and Sinclair’s Rob Weisbord will join the company’s board in conjunction with the round. The company is based in San Francisco, CA.