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FameBit: Influencer marketing platform connecting brands with online video creators for product placements and sponsorships on YouTube.
Based in Santa Monica, California, FameBit operates an influencer marketing platform that connects brands with online video creators to facilitate targeted product placements and digital sponsorships. The company utilizes a dual commission-based business model, taking a ten percent fee from the advertisers and a separate ten percent cut from the approved bids paid directly to creators. To participate on the marketplace, creators must maintain a minimum audience of 5,000 followers, a threshold that helped the 18-employee company build a network of over 45,000 active influencers. Prior to its acquisition by Google's YouTube division in October 2016, the platform facilitated more than 25,000 branded videos generating over two billion minutes of watch time for corporate customers including Adidas, Canon, and Activision. FameBit was originally founded in 2013 by co-founders David Kierzkowski and Agnes Kozera.
FameBit has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
FameBit has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
FameBit was an influencer marketing platform that connected brands with content creators, primarily on YouTube, to facilitate branded content collaborations.[1][2] It served advertisers seeking targeted campaigns and influencers looking for paid partnerships, solving the challenge of matching brands with suitable creators efficiently while providing tools for deal management and performance measurement.[1][2] Acquired by Google in 2016, it evolved into a key part of YouTube's ecosystem before rebranding to YouTube BrandConnect, with average deal sizes growing over 260% in the two years prior to the rebrand amid booming influencer marketing.[2]
FameBit launched as an online marketplace initially focused on connecting YouTube creators with brands for daily collaborations.[1] It gained traction by addressing the need for streamlined influencer partnerships on the platform, leading to its acquisition by Google (YouTube's parent) in 2016.[1][2] Post-acquisition, it expanded under YouTube's umbrella, with Lori Sobel—a 16-year Google veteran—taking over as global business head in a role focused on scaling influencer tools.[2]
FameBit rode the explosive rise of influencer marketing, particularly on YouTube, where organic creator content drove authentic brand engagement amid maturing ad tech.[2] Its timing aligned with platforms prioritizing creator economies, enabling brands to tap video-first audiences as traditional ads waned. Market forces like growing creator monetization and full-funnel attribution favored it, influencing YouTube's shift toward integrated commerce tools that blur content, ads, and shopping.[2]
As YouTube BrandConnect, FameBit's legacy powers ongoing expansions in creator-brand tools, with trends like AI-driven matching and shoppable video likely accelerating growth in a $20B+ influencer market.[2] Expect deeper Google ecosystem integration, enhancing metrics and AR features to capture e-commerce from entertainment. Its evolution underscores how platforms like YouTube are redefining marketing from discovery to conversion, solidifying FameBit's foundational impact on scalable, measurable influencer strategies.[2]
FameBit has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
FameBit's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Audrey Capital, Catapult Capital, Expa, Kindred Ventures, QueensBridge Venture Partners, Science, Sound Ventures, The Hit Forge, Zelkova Ventures, Anthony Saleh, Daniel Rosensweig.
FameBit has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in June 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2014 | $2.0M Seed | Andreessen Horowitz, Audrey Capital, Catapult Capital, Expa, Kindred Ventures, QueensBridge Venture Partners, Science, Sound Ventures, The Hit Forge, Zelkova Ventures, Anthony Saleh, Daniel Rosensweig, Erik Moore, Jason Goldberg, Josh Spear, Marc Benioff, Michael Birch, Noah Goodhart, Ryan Sarver, Shervin Pishevar, Tim Ferriss, Allen DeBevoise, 500 Startups, DeNA |