NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ruckus Media Group, an independent family entertainment company, announced it has secured $3.5 million in funding to further expand its mobile application offerings and secure footholds across multiple online stores and platforms. The Series A funding was led by Alsop Louie Partners along with private investors.
“We see today’s ‘on-the-go’ family consuming more and more entertainment, information and educational experiences through high-caliber mobile applications,” said Rick Richter, Ruckus Media Group’s President and CEO. “Alsop Louie Partners’ support shows confidence in Ruckus’ mission and allows us to enrich our products, expand our offerings and expedite the development of original content with marquee titles. The Alsop team has demonstrated success bringing value to upstart technology companies and we look forward to leveraging this partnership as we expand our offerings in mobile software and gaming, areas they know well.”
Ruckus Mobile Media released its first five apps on iTunes in mid-October and has expanded that catalog to fifteen apps. In the process the company has continued to receive customer and media praises for delivering thoughtful, family-friendly and innovative story apps.
“Ruckus is a proven performer accomplishing much in a very short amount of time,” said Jim Whims, a partner at Alsop Louie. “We look forward to assisting them as they expand their catalog to include a diverse range of platforms and devices for the plethora of established and upcoming titles.”
Ruckus Mobile Media will be broadening its product offerings across all major mobile devices in the coming months by expanding distribution from Apple’s iTunes to include Google’s Android Market, Research In Motion’s Blackberry App World, Amazon’s App Store and the Barnes and Noble Nook.
“iTunes is the gold standard for app distribution,” said Jim Young, COO at Ruckus Media Group, “but as more new app stores emerge, Ruckus is dedicated to efficiently creating high value children’s apps where you can play, learn and have fun on any and every type of mobile device.”
ABOUT RUCKUS MOBILE MEDIA
Ruckus Mobile Media, an independent mobile family entertainment company, introduces traditional storytelling for today’s ways of telling stories by creating applications for mobile devices that entertain toddlers to teens from their fingers to their minds, at home or on the road—and invite their imaginations to grow. Launched in September 2010, Ruckus is now home to 15 children’s book apps, including the Best App Award finalists A PRESENT FOR MILO, written and illustrated by Mike Austin; ANDREW ANSWERS, created by bestselling children’s book author Alan Katz; as well as THE VELVETEEN RABBIT Read-Play-and-Record-Along classic storybook app, among others. See www.ruckusmediagroup.com for a full listing and additional information.
ABOUT ALSOP LOUIE PARTNERS
Alsop Louie Partners is an early-stage technology venture firm based in San Francisco, CA. The firm looks for outstanding entrepreneurs who want to start and grow companies that will be significant drivers of the next technology cycle, which it calls the Ever net. The firm was founded by Stewart Alsop, industry pundit and venture investor, and Gilman Louie, video game entrepreneur and cyber security investor. Gilman and Stewart have added three new partners, including Ruckus board member, Jim Whims, a longtime executive and investor in technologies and services for the consumer.