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§ Private Profile · 6950 Hall Street, Toledo, Ohio, USA
Digital media streaming platform offering audiobooks, eBooks, movies, and music to public library cardholders via a pay-per-use model.
Hoopla Digital is a streaming platform based in Holland, Ohio, providing public library cardholders with instant access to digital media, including audiobooks, eBooks, music, movies, and TV shows. Operating on a pay-per-use model, the service eliminates holds or waiting lists for patrons and is exclusively offered through participating public libraries. The platform is financed by its parent company, Midwest Tape, a physical media distributor co-founded by John Eldred and Jeff Jankowski, which has reported $150 million in annual revenue. Hoopla Digital serves nearly every public library in the United States, offering a catalog that includes over 50,000 movies, alongside a growing collection of comics and manga. Co-founded by Jeff Jankowski, who also serves as President, Hoopla Digital was launched in 2013.
Hoopla has raised $11.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Hoopla has raised $11.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Hoopla has raised $11.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $8.0M Series B in February 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2014 | $8M Series B | Larry ORR | Illuminate Ventures, Safeguard Scientifics | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2012 | $3M Series A | Safeguard Scientifics | Illuminate Ventures, Salesforce Ventures | Announced |
# High-Level Overview
Hoopla is a SaaS platform that uses gamification, enterprise data, and communication tools to optimize employee performance and engagement.[1] Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, the company develops a complete performance optimization system designed to steer employee actions and behaviors while cultivating a high-performance culture.[1] Hoopla serves hundreds of innovative companies across various industries, with particular strength in sales team motivation and workplace engagement.[4] The platform integrates with enterprise communication tools like Slack, Teams, and Zoom to broadcast performance updates, celebrate wins, and connect remote employees at scale.[4]
The company was acquired by Raydiant in March 2021, marking a significant milestone in its evolution from independent startup to part of a larger workplace technology ecosystem.[1][5] Prior to acquisition, Hoopla had raised $10.8M across multiple funding rounds and was backed by notable investors including Trinity Ventures, Safeguard Scientifics, Illuminate Ventures, and Salesforce.[2]
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Hoopla operates within the rapidly expanding employee engagement and performance management sector, riding the wave of workplace transformation driven by remote work adoption and the need for distributed team motivation.[1] The global gamification market is projected to grow at a 25% rate through the forecast period, positioning Hoopla at the intersection of two powerful trends: the shift toward data-driven people management and the gamification of workplace experiences.[1]
The company's acquisition by Raydiant reflects broader consolidation in the workplace technology space, where standalone engagement tools are increasingly integrated into larger platforms serving comprehensive workplace needs. Hoopla's emphasis on visual, game-based motivation addresses a fundamental challenge in modern organizations: maintaining culture and performance momentum when teams are geographically dispersed and traditional in-person recognition mechanisms are less effective.
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
Hoopla's trajectory demonstrates the enduring value of solving the "motivation at scale" problem for distributed teams. As organizations continue navigating hybrid and remote work models, the demand for tools that make performance visible, celebrate achievements, and drive engagement through behavioral psychology will likely remain strong. The company's integration into Raydiant's ecosystem positions it to benefit from cross-selling opportunities and expanded distribution, while the broader gamification market's projected 25% growth rate suggests sustained tailwinds for the category.
The key question for Hoopla's future is whether it can expand beyond its sales-team stronghold into other departments and organizational functions—a challenge many specialized engagement tools face as they mature. Success in this expansion would significantly broaden its addressable market and deepen its role in comprehensive workplace culture transformation.
Hoopla has raised $11.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Hoopla's investors include Larry Orr, Illuminate Ventures, Safeguard Scientifics, Salesforce Ventures.