SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Curiosity (Nasdaq: CURI), the leading global factual media company, announced today an enhanced strategic partnership with and investment into Nebula, the world’s largest creator-owned streaming and technology platform. With 140+ active creators who together have over 120 million collective YouTube subscribers, Nebula has grown to more than 350,000 paying subscribers in less than two years. Both companies share a focus on entertaining, informative, highly engaging content and have partnered in strategic and marketing arrangements since Nebula’s inception. Through this investment, Curiosity will attain a significant minority position in Nebula as well as board representation. The deal values Nebula in excess of $50 million.
The two companies have successfully worked together offering bundled subscriptions to the Curiosity Stream SVOD service and Nebula. Nebula will use the investment to build new product features, launch new business lines for creators, and market the Nebula platform to new audiences. Nebula will continue to be run by Dave Wiskus, CEO of parent company Standard.
“Nebula has become the largest creator-owned and operated streaming platform in the world in just two years, and their mission perfectly aligns with our own - offering quality entertainment for people who want to know more,” said Clint Stinchcomb, President and Chief Executive Officer of Curiosity. “There has never been a more exciting time to be a creator, and what Dave and his team have built in such a short time is especially forward-looking as creators want to take control of their businesses and audience relationships.”
Added Devin Emery, Chief Product Officer and Executive Vice President of Content Strategy for Curiosity, “We have seen tremendous growth of both Curiosity Stream and Nebula through our existing partnership, and I’m confident this investment will supercharge development in what are arguably the most dynamic and creative parts of media today, streaming and the creator economy.”
“Standard is a group of creators working together to build tools and systems to ensure the long-term sustainability of the content creators, especially within the middle class,” said Wiskus. “Nebula is our flagship on this mission, and Curiosity has demonstrated an understanding, respect, and commitment to that philosophy at every step over the last two years and is the perfect partner to help us dial up growth and features to ensure Nebula reaches its full potential.”
Examples of creators on the Nebula platform include:
- Marques Brownlee (14.5 million YouTube subscribers)
- Kat Blaque (393,000 YouTube subscribers)
- Lindsay Ellis (1.2 million YouTube subscribers)
- Real Life Lore (4.5 million YouTube subscribers)
- Wendover Productions (3 million YouTube subscribers)
- Jordan Harrod (71 million YouTube subscribers)
- Real Science (500,000 YouTube subscribers) and Real Engineering (3.1 million YouTube subscribers)
- Extra Credits (2.6 million YouTube subscribers)
- Legal Eagle (2 million YouTube subscribers)
About Curiosity Inc.
Curiosity Inc. is the entertainment brand for people who want to know more. The global media company is home to award-winning original and curated factual films, shows and series covering science, nature, history, technology, society, and lifestyle. With approximately 20 million paying subscribers worldwide, the company operates Curiosity Stream, the largest independent streaming service, available in more than 175 countries worldwide; Curiosity Channel, the linear television channel available via global distribution partners; and Curiosity Studios, which oversees original programming. Curiosity Inc. recently completed the acquisition of One Day University, which provides access to engaging talks and lectures from the best university and college professors in the United States. Curiosity Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CuriosityStream Inc. (Nasdaq: CURI).
About Standard
Standard is a creator management company built for and by thoughtful, education-ish video and podcast creators. Their 140+ creators reach a combined audience in the hundreds of millions each month, with over 100 million subscribers. Standard helps creators manage their sponsorships, business relationships, merchandising, content strategy, content production, and cross-platform syndication, and is exclusively owned and operated by creators.
About Nebula
Nebula is a streaming video and technology platform built for and by a group of content creators who wanted to ensure that the future of content didn’t exclusively belong to big media and tech companies. Since launching in mid-2019 Nebula has already grown to over 350,000 paying subscribers and an industry-leading 80%+ user retention. Nebula was created as a joint venture between Standard and the creators — each taking 50% of Nebula’s profits — making Nebula a unique success story in the burgeoning creator economy.
