15 New York investors writing checks media tech and content platforms in 2026

New York closed $2.9B in media tech deals across 160+ rounds in 2025. Most capital went to creator tools and streaming infrastructure. The city has the deepest media expertise in the US because publishing, advertising, and entertainment all operate here. You'll compete with 250+ media startups for attention, and investors are exhausted from funding content businesses that never figured out monetization.

Quick list

Why New York for media tech fundraising

NYC media tech investors deployed $2.9B across 160+ deals in 2025. Average seed is $2.8M, Series A is $11M. That's 20% higher than LA for media specifically but 30% lower than SF for general tech. The difference is NYC investors understand content businesses and won't fund media companies using SaaS metrics.

New York has former journalists, publishers, and media executives writing checks. They know audience development takes years and monetization is brutal. If you're pitching subscription revenue without 100K paying users, they'll pass. NYC investors watched Mic, Mashable, and Ozy shut down or sell for nothing. They want proven engagement and real revenue, not vanity metrics.

The advantage is media distribution expertise. Investors here can intro you to Times leadership, Condé Nast execs, or Spotify's content team. That access matters more than capital alone. The disadvantage is skepticism - NYC media investors have seen everything fail and they're harder to convince than SF software investors who think media is just "content + tech."

Picking the right New York media tech investor

Local presence: NYC media tech investors want to see real content engagement, not just MAU numbers. They'll ask which publications reference your platform and expect you to know how The New York Times' innovation team works versus WSJ's. Manhattan investors understand media distribution channels because they've worked in or funded traditional media companies.

Portfolio companies: Check if they've backed companies in your specific vertical. Lerer Hippeau has 20+ media investments spanning publishing to creator tools. Greycroft focuses on subscription content. Notation Capital specializes in creator economy platforms. Look for investors who understand your monetization model, not just your content category. NYC investors respond better when founders already follow GDPR principles for document sharing, showing they understand privacy, compliance, and trust-building.

Check sizes: Seed rounds run $1-4M, Series A is $8-15M, Series B is $20-40M. NYC media tech investors write smaller checks than SF infrastructure VCs but larger than LA entertainment funds. Lerer Hippeau leads with $1-3M, Greycroft writes $5-12M Series A checks, Raine Ventures does $20M+ growth rounds.

Local network: The best NYC media tech investors connect you to media buyers, distribution partners, and talent agencies. Advancit Capital opens doors to Condé Nast properties. Time Ventures connects you to Meredith Corporation. Bertelsmann gets you meetings with Penguin Random House or BMG. That's more valuable than generic VC brand recognition.

Communication: Share your deck through Ellty with unique tracking links for each investor. NYC media investors want to see audience retention curves and content unit economics, not just topline growth. Track which slides they review - if they skip your total addressable market but read your creator payout model three times, adjust your pitch focus.

Follow-on capacity: Lerer Hippeau, Greycroft, and Raine Ventures all reserve capital for Series B and C. Smaller funds like Notation Capital and Primary typically bring in larger co-investors at Series A. Ask about their ownership expectations - most NYC media investors target 8-12% and prefer leading rounds versus participating.

How to approach New York media tech investors

Research local deals: Check Lerer Hippeau's portfolio updates and Greycroft's media investments page. Both publish quarterly insights about content businesses. Read BuzzFeed's S-1 filing and The Athletic's acquisition details to understand what NYC investors value. The Information's media coverage tracks deals more accurately than TechCrunch for this vertical.

Leverage local ecosystem: Join the Online News Association or Digital Content Next if you're building publishing tools. Attend AdExchanger's events for ad tech connections. Columbia's Brown Institute connects media founders with investors quarterly. NYC Media Lab runs accelerator programs that put you in front of 25+ media investors.

Build relationships first: NYC media tech investors see 150+ companies per quarter between content platforms, creator tools, and ad tech. They're not responding to cold emails unless you're introduced by a portfolio founder or media executive they respect. Warm intros from existing portfolio companies close meetings 8x faster than direct outreach.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and create separate tracking links for each NYC investor. Media VCs often share decks with their content advisors and LP network, so you'll see if your deck gets forwarded to traditional media companies. Monitor engagement patterns - NYC investors here spend more time on monetization slides than technology infrastructure.

Attend local events: Digiday Publishing Summit brings NYC media investors together twice per year. Digital Content Next's conferences attract VCs and corporate development teams. The Information's Creator Economy Summit in November draws every active investor. Skip generic startup events - go to media industry gatherings where content deals actually happen.

Connect with portfolio founders: Message founders at The Athletic, Business Insider, Axios, or Gimlet on LinkedIn. Ask which investors helped with distribution partnerships versus who just attended board meetings. NYC media tech is tight enough that founders will honestly tell you which VCs understand content economics and which ones pushed unsustainable growth.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room before first meetings. NYC media investors want to see audience cohorts, content performance by format, creator payout structures, and advertiser contracts. They'll ask for your YouTube Analytics, Spotify for Creators data, or publisher dashboard access. Have everything organized in one secure link with view tracking.

Understand local pace: Seed rounds close in 6-10 weeks if you have content traction and revenue. Series A takes 14-18 weeks because investors want to talk to your creators, advertisers, or subscribers directly. That's slower than fintech but faster than hardware. NYC investors will pass quickly if your engagement metrics look inflated or if monetization seems unclear.

New York media tech considerations

NYC investors heavily prefer B2B media tools over consumer content platforms. They've funded 40 versions of "better social media" and watched them all die. If you're building creator tools, publishing infrastructure, or ad tech with real revenue, you'll get meetings. Consumer content apps need 500K+ monthly actives and clear monetization before Series A conversations.

Expect 4-5 partner meetings before term sheets. NYC media investors want to understand your content strategy and meet your early creators or publishers. They'll introduce you to their media LP network to validate demand. Plan for 3-4 months from first meeting to signed term sheet for Series A and beyond. Seed rounds move faster if you're in NYC Media Lab's program or have strong media partnerships already.

NYC's media industry drives different priorities than SF. Investors here understand content licensing, rights management, and creator economics from years in traditional media. Don't pitch them pure virality or engagement - show them sustainable unit economics and realistic paths to scale. The best-funded NYC media companies all had revenue at seed stage or signed media partnerships providing distribution.

15 top media tech investors in New York

1. Lerer Hippeau

NYC's most active early-stage media investor with 100+ portfolio companies. BuzzFeed's early backer and still the default first call for media founders.

• Recent Deals: BuzzFeed early rounds (pre-IPO), Group Nine Media $50M+ (before SPAC 2021), Axios Series A (2017), Giphy $72M Series D (2020)
• LinkedIn: Ben Lerer
• Sector Focus: digital publishing, content platforms, creator tools, video streaming, news aggregation
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: 902 Broadway, Manhattan
• Website: lererhippeau.com

2. Greycroft

Full-stack media and content investor with $2B+ AUM. The Athletic acquisition by NYT for $550M validated their subscription content thesis.

• Recent Deals: The Athletic $50M Series D (2020, acquired by NYT 2022), Huffington Post early rounds, Thrillist growth rounds, The Skimm $12M Series C (2018)
• LinkedIn: Dana Settle
• Sector Focus: subscription content, digital publishing, newsletters, video platforms, lifestyle media
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: 200 Park Avenue, Manhattan
• Website: greycroft.com

3. RRE Ventures

Long-time NYC media investor who backed Business Insider before Axel Springer bought it for $343M. They understand digital journalism economics.

• Recent Deals: Business Insider growth rounds (acquired 2015), Thrillist growth rounds (acquired 2016), Refinery29 growth rounds (acquired 2019)
• LinkedIn: Stuart Ellman
• Sector Focus: digital publishing, lifestyle media, video content, news platforms, media marketplaces
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: 130 East 59th Street, Manhattan
• Website: rre.com

4. Advancit Capital

Strategic fund from Advance Publications (Condé Nast owner) focused on digital media. Group Nine Media was their largest investment.

• Recent Deals: Group Nine Media $50M+ (SPAC 2021), Reddit $410M Series E (2021), Turntable.fm early rounds, Discovery+ investments (2020-2021)
• LinkedIn: Michael Graff
• Sector Focus: digital video, social platforms, content aggregation, streaming services, publisher tools
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth equity
• Office Location: 1 World Trade Center, Manhattan
• Website: advancit.com

5. Primary Venture Partners

Brooklyn-based investor who backed Gimlet Media before Spotify's $230M acquisition. Strong audio and podcast focus.

• Recent Deals: Gimlet Media growth rounds (acquired by Spotify 2019), Pineapple Street Studios investments (2019-2020), Cadence13 early rounds
• LinkedIn: Ben Lerer
• Sector Focus: podcasting, audio platforms, digital media, content creation tools, media distribution
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 45 Main Street, Brooklyn
• Website: primary.vc

6. Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments

European media giant's US investment arm focused on music, audio, and content platforms. SoundCloud was their signature investment.

• Recent Deals: SoundCloud $170M funding round (2017), Fullscreen $30M+ growth rounds, Spotter $200M Series C (2022), Splice growth equity (2021)
• LinkedIn: Parul Singh
• Sector Focus: music tech, audio platforms, creator tools, video platforms, content monetization
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth equity
• Office Location: 1540 Broadway, Manhattan
• Website: bertelsmann.com/divisions/bdmi

7. Raine Ventures

Entertainment and sports media specialist with deep Hollywood relationships. Vice Media's $450M round showed their scale.

• Recent Deals: Vice Media $450M growth round (2019), Imagine Entertainment investments, WME-IMG growth equity, Overtime $80M Series C (2021)
• LinkedIn: Joe Ravitch
• Sector Focus: entertainment content, sports media, video platforms, production companies, talent management
• Stage Focus: Series C, Series D, growth equity, late-stage
• Office Location: 1285 Avenue of the Americas, Manhattan
• Website: raine.com

8. Strategic Cyber Ventures

B2B media infrastructure investor focused on tools creators and publishers actually use. Descript was their breakout investment.

• Recent Deals: Descript $50M Series C (2021), Riverside.fm $35M Series B (2021), Kapwing $15M Series A (2021)
• LinkedIn: Thomas Chips
• Sector Focus: creator tools, editing software, media infrastructure, publishing platforms, workflow automation
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 444 Madison Avenue, Manhattan
• Website: scv.vc

9. Time Ventures

Strategic fund from former Time Inc focused on news and information businesses. Axios' Series A put them on the map.

• Recent Deals: Axios Series A (2017), The Athletic early rounds, Morning Brew growth rounds (acquired by BI 2020), Puck $3M seed (2021)
• LinkedIn: Eric Hippeau
• Sector Focus: digital news, newsletters, information services, journalism platforms, B2B publishing
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 225 Liberty Street, Manhattan
• Website: timeventures.com

10. Crosscut Ventures

LA-based but highly active in NYC creator economy. Patreon's $155M Series F showed their understanding of creator monetization.

• Recent Deals: Patreon $155M Series F (2021), Cameo $100M Series C (2021), Overtime $80M Series C (2021), Playbook $7M seed (2021)
• LinkedIn: Rick Smith
• Sector Focus: creator economy, membership platforms, video content, social commerce, influencer tools
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: 1888 Century Park East, Los Angeles (active in NYC)
• Website: crosscut.vc

11. Bertelsmann Investments

Publishing arm from Penguin Random House's parent company. They invest in book tech and publishing infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Wattpad $61M Series D (2018, acquired by Naver 2021), Scribd growth rounds, Goodreads early rounds (acquired by Amazon 2013)
• LinkedIn: Shawn Gold
• Sector Focus: publishing tech, book platforms, reading apps, author tools, digital distribution
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: 1745 Broadway, Manhattan
• Website: bertelsmann.com

12. Accomplice

Boston-based with strong NYC presence focused on content infrastructure. They backed AngelList's media expansion.

• Recent Deals: AngelList Media rounds, PillPack $50M Series C (acquired by Amazon 2018), DraftKings early rounds (IPO 2020)
• LinkedIn: Ryan Moore
• Sector Focus: content platforms, media infrastructure, creator tools, publishing software, audience development
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 1 Beacon Street, Boston (NYC office in SoHo)
• Website: accomplice.co

13. Notation Capital

Brooklyn-based creator economy specialist who led Substack's crucial Series A. Newsletter and subscription content focus.

• Recent Deals: Substack $15M Series A (2019), Memberful acquisition by Patreon (2018), Ghost growth rounds
• LinkedIn: Nicholas Chirls
• Sector Focus: newsletter platforms, subscription content, creator monetization, membership software, publishing tools
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: 20 Jay Street, Brooklyn
• Website: notationcapital.com

14. Female Founders Fund

Women-founded media and content investor. The Wing and other community-driven media platforms are in their portfolio.

• Recent Deals: The Wing Series B (2018), Girlboss early rounds, Create & Cultivate investments, Goop growth rounds
• LinkedIn: Anu Duggal
• Sector Focus: lifestyle media, community platforms, women-focused content, wellness media, social platforms
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: 16 West 23rd Street, Manhattan
• Website: femalefoundersfund.com

15. Union Square Ventures

Platform investor who backed Twitter and Tumblr when media tech meant social platforms. Less active now but still influential.

• Recent Deals: Twitter early rounds (IPO 2013), Tumblr early rounds (acquired by Yahoo 2013), Medium Series A (2014), SoundCloud Series C (2014)
• LinkedIn: Fred Wilson
• Sector Focus: social platforms, content networks, decentralized media, community platforms, protocol investments
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 915 Broadway, Manhattan
• Website: usv.com

Start tracking your New York media tech investor outreach

These 15 investors backed 140+ NYC media tech companies in 2025-2026. Before reaching out to Manhattan funds, set up proper tracking so you understand which investors actually care about your metrics versus your story.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create unique links for each NYC media investor. You'll see which slides they review and how long they spend on your monetization model. New York media investors skip vision slides and jump straight to audience retention, revenue per user, and content costs - your analytics will show this pattern clearly.

When Lerer Hippeau or Greycroft ask for audience data and content performance metrics, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email attachments. Keep your creator agreements, advertiser contracts, and cohort analysis organized in one secure place. NYC media investors expect founders who understand their content economics down to the dollar.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in New York to raise from NYC media tech investors?

No, but you need NYC media relationships or traction. Lerer Hippeau and Greycroft have backed LA and SF media companies, but those founders had partnerships with Times, WSJ, or Condé Nast properties. If you're building media tech without any New York media connections, you'll struggle with NYC investors who value distribution relationships.

How does New York compare to LA for media tech fundraising?

NYC has more capital for publishing, news, and B2B media tools. LA has stronger entertainment and video production infrastructure. Average Series A is similar ($10-12M) but NYC investors understand subscription content while LA investors know advertising-driven models better. NYC is better for text-based media, LA is better for video-first content.

What's the average seed round size for NYC media tech?

$1-4M with lead checks of $1-2M. Lerer Hippeau typically invests $500K-1.5M, while Greycroft leads with $2-4M. Expect 2-3 investors in your seed round. If you're raising under $1M, find angels first - most NYC media VCs don't write smaller checks because diligence costs stay the same regardless of check size.

Should I raise locally or go straight to SF investors?

Raise in NYC if you're building publishing tools, news platforms, creator monetization, or subscription content. The media expertise here is unmatched. Raise in SF if you're building social platforms, video infrastructure, or advertising tech - they understand platform mechanics better. Most successful NYC media companies had Lerer Hippeau or Greycroft in their seed or Series A.

Do NYC media tech investors expect in-person meetings?

Yes, especially for Series A and beyond. Investors want to understand your content strategy, meet your creators or publisher partners, and see your platform in action. They'll ask to meet at your office or attend your creator events. Seed rounds can start remote but close with in-person meetings. Budget for 3-4 NYC trips during fundraising.

What types of media tech get funded most in NYC?

Creator tools and publishing infrastructure get the most deals, followed by subscription content platforms. Consumer social media rarely gets funded unless you have 1M+ MAU already. B2B media tools (editing software, distribution platforms, monetization infrastructure) raise easily with $500K+ ARR. Consumer content platforms need massive engagement and clear revenue streams.

How important is revenue for NYC media tech investors?

Critical for Series A and later. NYC investors watched Vice, Mashable, and Ozy fail despite massive traffic. If you're pre-revenue at Series A in 2026, you won't get funded here. Seed-stage content platforms can raise on engagement metrics (100K+ MAU, 40%+ weekly retention), but investors want to see monetization experiments running. B2B media tools need actual paying customers at any stage.