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SAY Media was a digital media company that integrated an interactive advertising platform with content management and publishing technology. It operated a network of independent online publications and provided comprehensive services to connect content creators with advertisers. The company’s core capabilities revolved around fostering engaging digital content and monetizing it through innovative advertising solutions, supporting a robust ecosystem for online publishers.
The company was formed in 2010, arising from the acquisition of blogging and content management pioneer Six Apart by the interactive advertising startup VideoEgg. Matt Sanchez, co-founder of VideoEgg, led the combined entity as its chief executive, building upon his experience in digital advertising. Six Apart, co-founded by Ben and Mena Trott, had established itself as a leader in online publishing tools. This merger was driven by the vision to create a unified platform that addressed the intertwined needs of content creation and digital media monetization.
SAY Media’s offerings served a diverse clientele of independent online publishers and brands seeking to reach passionate audiences. The company aimed to empower content creators and facilitate meaningful connections between readers and advertisers within curated digital environments. Its overarching vision was to champion authentic content and make creators successful by providing the technological and operational framework necessary for thriving in the evolving digital media landscape.
SAY Media has raised $58.0M across 4 funding rounds.
SAY Media has raised $58.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
SAY Media is a technology company that provides publishing platforms, media services, and advertising solutions to independent content creators and digital publishers. It builds and operates a portfolio of influential digital magazines like xoJane, Fashionista, Gear Patrol, and Remodelista, while offering its award-winning Tempest publishing platform for storytellers, marketers, and readers, alongside ad partnerships that reach 400 million people worldwide.[1][2][3]
The company serves content creators, digital magazines, and advertisers by solving challenges in social publishing, content distribution, digital marketing, and monetization through editor-friendly tools like smart layouts, device-agnostic pages, and engagement-focused Adaptive Ads. With around 300 employees and a focus on quality editorial experiences over pageview inflation, SAY Media drives growth via its organic, hyper-engaged audience ecosystem.[1][2]
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in the United States, SAY Media emerged as a pioneer in digital publishing technology amid the shift from print to online media.[1] The company's evolution reflects the broader transformation of content creation: it started by developing state-of-the-art tech and expanded into owning and partnering with a portfolio of niche digital magazines with devoted readerships, such as ReadWrite and LifetimeMoms.[2][3]
Key branding milestones include a 2012 rebrand inspired by the timeless Bodoni font, modernized for digital relevance, signaling its commitment to blending publishing heritage with innovation.[5] Early traction came from building an "ecosystem for brands" that organically grew audiences, setting the stage for scalable ad partnerships and the Tempest platform.[2]
SAY Media rides the trend of creator economy expansion and social publishing, where independent content creators demand tools for distribution, monetization, and audience building amid declining traditional media.[1][2] Its timing aligns with the rise of device-agnostic, engagement-first platforms, countering ad fatigue and algorithm changes on social giants by fostering owned, organic audiences.
Market forces like premium ad experiences and data-driven personalization favor SAY Media, as brands seek hyper-engaged niches over broad reach. It influences the ecosystem by empowering storytellers with Tempest, enabling sustainable digital magazines, and bridging creators with advertisers—shaping a more authentic corner of the martech and publishing tech space.[2][3]
SAY Media is poised to capitalize on AI-enhanced content tools and evolving ad tech, potentially expanding Tempest with features for personalized storytelling and zero-party data. Trends like short-form video integration and Web3 creator ownership could amplify its portfolio's reach, while partnerships in emerging CX (customer experience) frameworks may boost ad efficacy.[1]
As digital magazines mature, SAY Media's focus on quality engagement positions it to influence creator monetization standards, evolving from niche publisher to broader platform leader—reinforcing its role as a tech enabler for independent voices in a fragmented media world.[2]
SAY Media has raised $58.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
SAY Media's investors include Alpha Edison, Bain Capital Ventures, Benchmark, Canvas Ventures, Lobby Capital, National Grid Partners, SFC Capital, Social Capital, True Ventures, Kai Tse.
SAY Media has raised $58.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $27.0M Venture Round in July 2012.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2012 | $27.0M Venture Round | Alpha Edison, Bain Capital Ventures, Benchmark, Canvas Ventures, Lobby Capital, National Grid Partners, SFC Capital, Social Capital, True Ventures, Kai Tse | |
| Aug 1, 2007 | $15.0M Series D | Bain Capital Ventures, Lobby Capital, SFC Capital, Social Capital, True Ventures | |
| Sep 1, 2006 | $12.0M Series C | Bain Capital Ventures, Lobby Capital | |
| Dec 1, 2005 | $4.0M Series B | Bain Capital Ventures, Lobby Capital |