LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the face of rapid advancements in creative tools and artificial intelligence, copyright laws have lagged, creating vulnerabilities for creators and buyers alike. Addressing this critical gap, SmarterLicense has unveiled a groundbreaking licensing framework designed to seamlessly provide tailored solutions and tools for every conceivable type of content and data utilization. The transformative licensing framework offers unparalleled flexibility and control. It's a solution tailored to protect both licensors and licensees, bridging the gap between traditional models and the needs of today and tomorrow’s digital landscape. SmarterLicense launches today in public beta, offering a new legal framework to transform intellectual property creation, sharing, tracking, remixing, and monetization.
Introducing SmarterLinks – the industry-first tool for secure, comprehensive control, distribution, and monetization of digital assets
The company is unveiling SmarterLinks, a transformative, patent-pending tool for secure, private file distribution. SmarterLinks enables creatives to distribute files for AI training, track usage, and set permissions while maintaining granular control over their content.
For example, a photographer can securely share images for AI training, monitor their use, and set access rules. SmarterLinks ensures content follows the owner’s preferences and legal requirements, allowing file replacement or access revocation if misused or after licenses expire.
SmarterLinks is vital for creatives who lack the technical skills to set up complex backend systems but want to use or share their content under specific terms across web and AI applications. By streaming files rather than repeatedly uploading them, SmarterLinks optimizes server efficiency and improves website latency by more than 90%, as demonstrated on SmarterLicense’s own landing page. This approach enhances the performance and efficiency of digital content distribution, providing granular asset control across the web.
Other product offerings include:
- Marketplaces: Public marketplaces connect buyers and sellers to help creators monetize their IP and access new revenue streams.
- Offers: Buyers can use the ‘Offers’ tool to send ready-to-sign contracts on any asset from anywhere on the web. This tool enables licensing thousands of assets with the touch of a button.
- Upload Portals: Recognizing the demand for bulk content acquisition, SmarterLicense Upload Portals allow buyers to set their prices and terms and open a portal for many creatives, fans, or rights holders to submit files.
More detailed information on features for each product can be found at smarterlicense.com/#products-tablet.
Founded in 2023 by Liz Hagelthorn, SmarterLicense is the culmination of a digital journey that began when she was 13, pioneering online monetization through a makeup blog with affiliate links. After her tenure at tech giants Twitter and Google, Hagelthorn led creative for the largest meme network on Instagram, running creative and strategy for 127 accounts spanning 300 million followers and reaching 1.6 billion people monthly. A record label acquired the network in under two years. Through viral memes, Hagelthorn has mastered the art of remixing and enabling others to re-imagine content, balancing freely sharing ideas with the necessity of making a living. Just as memes rely on the work of others, AI depends on existing content. Recognizing this, Hagelthorn addresses AI’s challenges, using the existing language of the internet to drive the future forward and identifying the next creative frontiers.
“As we navigate the complexities of modern digital content creation and distribution, it’s crucial to recognize the role licensing plays beyond mere compensation. Proper licensing, whether for $0 or $100,000, is essential to avoid costly copyright disputes, protect against unauthorized usage, ensure proper attribution, and track usage,” said Liz Hagelthorn, founder and CEO of SmarterLicense. “Our platform enables frictionless licensing and immediate payouts for content, data, and endless file types, unlocking new creative and technological markets. We empower creatives to set their pricing and terms and to track and control their assets across web and AI applications, including invoking kill switches, gaining insights, and swapping out files. As formats like .jpeg and .png were essential for digitizing photographs, creative works must be AI-ready. Our tools allow creatives to remix and build innovative solutions around their portfolios without coding skills, paving the way for future advancements in digital content management and IP monetization.”
Premier League Pilot Cuts Paid Media Costs by 50% Acquiring and Licensing Trending TikTok Content
In a pilot campaign with the Premier League and XALT, SmarterLicense enabled the Premier League to license promotional materials, transform content creators into match commentators, and facilitate real-time licensing of trending content for halftime programming. SmarterLicense tools helped acquire and license trending TikTok content at a 50% lower cost, powering both paid media and organic efforts with a quick turnaround.
By leveraging SmarterLicense tools, the Premier League reduced paid media costs by 50% while building a community of more than 11,000 fans in 10 days. The pilot was successful in reaching and engaging Gen Z, with 100% of fans under 40 years old and 93% between 18 and 35 years of age. In addition, SmarterLicense facilitated the real-time acquisition and licensing of low-cost halftime programming featuring trending content, leading to 100% audience retention. The pilot marked a significant improvement from the previous 20-30% drop-off observed during matches 1-3, showcasing the effectiveness of SmarterLicense in enhancing viewer engagement and retention.
“SmarterLicense was instrumental in efficiently contracting topic-specific creators with a tight, even real-time turnaround at 70-80% lower costs than the market rate. We had the flexibility with SmarterLicense to create custom contracts that creators were comfortable with and easily understood,” said Alex Cooper, VP of Community and COO at XALT.
$1.1 Million Angel Funding Raised from Industry Titans to Accelerate Development
On the heels of the successful pilot, SmarterLicense also announced that it has secured $1.1 million in angel funding from industry titans from entertainment, media, and technology, including Chris Camillo, Bobby and Ben Hundreds, Barbara Jones, and Jim Toth, among others.
Advisors, investors, customers, and partners commenting on the launch:
Bobby Hundreds, Co-Founder of TheHundreds: “Traditional licensing models work well for products and merchandise, but rights and usage remain unclear regarding digital content and AI. I am thrilled to see how SmarterLicense addresses these challenges by opening up digital licensing as an extension of branded product licensing. I’m excited for a platform that enables seamless licensing and real-time acquisition, revolutionizing how we engage audiences and maximize reach. SmarterLicense is paving the way for the future of IP brand expansion and digital content management in the age of AI.”
Roahn Hylton, Grammy-Nominated Producer, Composer, Songwriter, and SONA Board Member; Advisor to SmarterLicense: "In today's music creation process, technology plays a vital role, but its relationship with rightsholders can be complicated. Tools like SmarterLicense are bridging that gap. As a music creator, I use various tools every day, and it's crucial to have solutions that empower catalog owners. I’m excited to work with SmarterLicense and closely with rightsholders to ensure technological advancements serve our interests, providing robust solutions for protecting our work, managing rights, and ensuring proper compensation. This forward-thinking approach is exactly what the music industry needs to navigate the complexities of the digital age and move us forward."
Barbara Jones, Founder and CEO, Outshine Talent: “In a landscape where digital content creation and distribution are evolving at breakneck speed, SmarterLicense’s platform ensures that every actor, musician, author, journalist, social content creator, or other IP holder is protected and can be monetized for maximum financial benefit. I am particularly impressed with the platform’s approach to Generative AI, which provides credentials to track the IP used, the models used, and the contributors for attribution and compensation purposes.”
Kelly Weimert, Content Creator, @divergentcoachkelly: “As a creator, I love that SmarterLicense empowers me to protect my creative assets, ensure proper attribution, and get paid fairly and securely for my contributions. The platform is a game-changer for anyone who wants to safeguard and monetize their creative work."
For more information and to join the public beta, go to www.smarterlicense.com/joinwaitlist.
About SmarterLicense
SmarterLicense offers cutting-edge licensing, monetization, and digital rights management solutions. Our platform provides seamless, no-code tools that empower rights holders, buyers, and collaborators to showcase, negotiate, and acquire content effortlessly. SmarterLicense is committed to enabling users to manage and monetize their digital assets efficiently and effectively by offering proprietary licensing agreements and robust asset management tools. Our vision is to transform digital rights management, making it easier for creators and businesses to protect, build, and profit from their intellectual property in the era of AI. For more information, visit www.smarterlicense.com.
