Top 15 media investors backing digital content startups in 2025

The media industry closed $3.56B in funding through July 2025, up 18.6% from 2024.

Cord-cutting hit pay TV penetration below 50 million US subscribers, and AI is changing how content gets made and distributed. If you're building in media, you need investors who understand these shifts.

Quick list

Finding investors who actually get media

Find investors who've backed companies through streaming wars or creator platform buildouts. Ask their portfolio companies about actual help during product launches. Check if they can intro you to distribution partners that matters more than brand names. Make sure they've funded similar business models before. Growth investors often don't understand seed-stage burn rates. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your revenue projections.

Experience: Look for investors with at least three media exits in the past five years.

Network: They should have relationships with major platforms, not just other VCs.

Alignment: Seed funds won't lead your Series B, no matter how good your pitch is.

Track record: Check if their portfolio companies raised follow on rounds. Dead portfolio companies are a red flag.

Communication: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on.

Value-add: Generic "we have a great network" answers are useless. Ask what operational support they provide during scaling.

Getting their attention without warm intros

Research recent deals on Crunchbase or Pitchbook. Entertainment VCs won't back enterprise SaaS, no matter your traction.

Identify potential investors: Filter by stage, check size, and look at their last three investments. If they haven't done a media deal in 18 months, skip them.

Craft a compelling pitch: Show monthly active users and retention, not vanity metrics. Most investors are tired of "Netflix for X" pitches without unit economics.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on if they skip your content costs, that's useful information.

Utilize your network: Message portfolio founders on LinkedIn and ask about response times and actual value-add. Most will be honest.

Attend networking events: Collision, SXSW, and VidCon are where deals actually happen. Skip the small local events.

Engage on online platforms: Connect with partners on LinkedIn after you've been introduced. Cold DMs rarely work.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room with your content library metrics and licensing agreements before they ask. It speeds up the process.

Set up introductory meetings: Lead with your content differentiation and distribution strategy. Don't waste 20 minutes on market size slides they've seen 100 times.

Why investors are betting on media now

Pay TV penetration dropped to 35% of US households in 2025, down from 85% in 2015. Streaming consolidation and AI content tools are creating new opportunities for startups that can solve specific problems. DTC sports streaming is gaining momentum, and generative AI raised over $5B in media applications through 2024. Investors who sat out consumer deals in 2022-2023 are back.

The shift to creator-driven platforms means less reliance on traditional gatekeepers. Platforms that help creators monetize directly are getting funded again.

15 top media investors

1. Andreessen Horowitz

Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz run one of the largest VC firms, managing $45B across funds including a dedicated $1B games fund launched in 2024.

• Recent Deals: Rumi Labs (March 2025), SuperGaming $15M (October 2025), invested in xAI and Mistral AI for content generation
• LinkedIn: Marc Andreessen LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Gaming, AI, Consumer, Enterprise, Media, Entertainment
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: a16z.com

2. Lerer Hippeau

New York-based early-stage fund with $1.2B AUM, backed over 400 companies including direct-to-consumer brands with strong media components.

• Recent Deals: Teleskope $25M Series A (November 2025), Armstrong Systems (November 2025), backed Warby Parker and Allbirds
• LinkedIn: Ben Lerer LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Media, Entertainment, E-Commerce, Healthcare, Enterprise
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: lererhippeau.com

3. Greycroft

Dana Settle and Ian Sigalow's firm manages $3B with strong media track record including Huffington Post and Maker Studios.

• Recent Deals: ConductorOne $79M Series B (October 2025), Prezent AI acquisition, Hippocratic AI became unicorn in 2025
• LinkedIn: Dana Settle LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: AI, Software, Sustainability, Consumer, Media, Entertainment
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: New York, Los Angeles
• Website: greycroft.com

4. Accel

Founded in 1983, backed Facebook's $12.7M Series A and continues funding media infrastructure and content platforms globally.

• Recent Deals: VoidZero $12.5M Series A (October 2025), Kaizen Labs (October 2025), invested in Vox Media and Spotify early
• LinkedIn: Accel LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Enterprise, SaaS, Consumer, Media, Fintech, Healthcare
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Palo Alto, California
• Website: accel.com

5. Lightspeed Venture Partners

Multi-stage VC firm backing consumer and enterprise companies, strong track record in social media and gaming platforms.

• Recent Deals: Active in gaming and social platforms, historically backed Snap, Giphy, and Epic Games
• LinkedIn: Lightspeed LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Enterprise, Gaming, Media, Entertainment, Fintech
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: lsvp.com

6. Baseline Ventures

Ron Conway's investment firm, ranked #6 on Forbes' Midas List, backed Twitter, Medium, and early social platforms.

• Recent Deals: Focused on early-stage investments in social media and consumer platforms, Google and PayPal early investments
• LinkedIn: Ron Conway LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer Internet, Social Media, Media, Mobile
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Palo Alto, California
• Website: baseline.vc

7. Index Ventures

Founded in 1996, invests globally in startups with potential to become category leaders, strong gaming and social presence.

• Recent Deals: Invested in Discord, Roblox, and gaming infrastructure companies across US and Europe
• LinkedIn: Index Ventures LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Gaming, Consumer, Enterprise, Media, Entertainment, Fintech
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: San Francisco, London
• Website: indexventures.com

8. Sequoia Capital

One of the most successful VC firms globally, backed YouTube (sold to Google), Unity, and continues funding media infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Active across stages in media tech, historically invested in YouTube and Unity
• LinkedIn: Sequoia Capital LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Enterprise, Healthcare, Fintech, Media, Gaming
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: sequoiacap.com

9. Slow Ventures

American VC investing in early-stage companies in consumer, fintech, SaaS, creator economy, and crypto sectors.

• Recent Deals: Backed Slack, Robinhood, and creator economy platforms in seed and Series A rounds
• LinkedIn: Slow Ventures LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Fintech, SaaS, Creator Economy, Media
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: slow.co

10. Founders Fund

Peter Thiel's VC firm backing technology companies at seed through growth stages, strong media and entertainment portfolio.

• Recent Deals: Backed Spotify early, invested in AI content tools and gaming platforms
• LinkedIn: Founders Fund LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Enterprise, Healthcare, Media, AI, Crypto
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: foundersfund.com

11. Precursor Ventures

Seed investor for American startups, focuses on consumer, enterprise, and media companies with strong founding teams.

• Recent Deals: Backed NotionHQ and early-stage content creation tools, active in pre-seed and seed rounds
• LinkedIn: Precursor Ventures LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Enterprise, Fintech, Marketplace, Media, SaaS
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: precursorvc.com

12. Greylock Partners

Large generalist VC with consumer focus, historically strong in social media with investments in LinkedIn and Medium.

• Recent Deals: Backed Airbnb, Dropbox, Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium, Nextdoor across growth stages
• LinkedIn: Greylock LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, Enterprise Software, Media, Entertainment, Social
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: greylock.com

13. Jump Capital

Chicago-based data-focused VC firm investing in fintech, enterprise SaaS, data infrastructure, and media companies.

• Recent Deals: Focused on data-driven media and content analytics platforms in Series A and B rounds
• LinkedIn: Jump Capital LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Fintech, Enterprise SaaS, Data Infrastructure, Media
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Website: jumpcap.com

14. M25

Midwest-focused early-stage investor backing tech startups in media, entertainment, sports, and other sectors.

• Recent Deals: Active in Chicago and Midwest media startups, seed and Series A investments
• LinkedIn: M25 LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer, E-Commerce, Media, Entertainment, Sports, Fintech
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Website: m25.vc

15. Moonshots Capital

Seed investor based in Los Angeles and Austin, focuses on entertainment and creator economy startups.

• Recent Deals: Early-stage investments in LA and Austin media and entertainment companies
• LinkedIn: Moonshots Capital LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Media, Entertainment, Consumer, Creator Economy
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: Los Angeles, Austin
• Website: moonshotscapital.com

Track which investors actually open your deck

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your content economics. Most founders are surprised to learn investors skip their market size slides but spend 5+ minutes on unit economics and distribution strategy.

When investors ask for more materials, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, and licensing agreements in one secure place with view analytics. You'll know who's serious based on what they actually review.

Common questions

How do I know if a media investor is still active?

Check their last three investments on Crunchbase. If they haven't closed a deal in 18+ months, they're probably between funds or shifting focus. Look at their portfolio page - active investors update it regularly.

Should I cold email media investors or get introductions?

Warm intros work better, but if you don't have them, a targeted cold email with your deck link can work. Skip the generic "we're the Netflix for X" line. Lead with your traction and what makes your content model different.

What's the difference between seed and Series A media investors?

Seed investors bet on team and market timing. Series A investors want to see content-market fit, retention data, and a path to profitability. Don't pitch Series A firms if you're pre-revenue.

How many media investors should I reach out to?

Build a list of 20-30 aligned investors. Prioritize 10 based on recent media deals and track your outreach. Most founders get 5-10 meetings from 30 targeted outreaches.

When should I set up a data room?

Before your first investor meeting. Have your financials, cap table, and content metrics ready in Ellty. Investors move fast when they see organized founders.

Do investors actually care about pitch deck analytics?

Yes. If an investor spends 8 minutes on your deck and revisits your revenue model three times, that's a strong signal. If they spend 30 seconds, move on. Track engagement to focus on interested investors.