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§ Private Profile · Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Social Native is a technology company.
Social Native provides an AI-driven creator marketing platform, enabling brands to source authentic content at scale. Operating as a global marketplace, it connects brands directly with creators for user-generated content. Leveraging AI for continuous optimization, the platform streamlines creation and distribution, delivering engaging, resonant content efficiently.
Founded in 2015, Social Native was co-founded by Ankur Bulsara, David Duel, David Shadpour, Eytan Elbaz, and Michael Lazerow. They recognized a market need for brands to access and manage genuine creative content from a vast creator network. David Shadpour, CEO, spearheaded efforts to simplify content acquisition.
The platform serves global brands, enhancing digital engagement through authentic content. Social Native’s vision is to be the premier global marketplace for creator-driven content, fostering stronger brand-audience connections. It aims to drive sustained growth by consistently delivering high-quality, genuine content in today's dynamic digital landscape.
Social Native has raised $8.0M across 1 funding round.
Social Native has raised $8.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Social Native is a technology-driven platform that empowers brands to source, curate, manage, and activate user-generated content (UGC) and influencer content at scale using AI and machine learning.[1][2][3] It serves over 1,500 global brands like Unilever, Adidas, L'Oréal, Crocs, and Nestlé Waters, solving the challenge of producing authentic, high-performing visual content efficiently while reducing manual processes by up to 90% and delivering metrics like 4x CTR increase, 78% CPA decrease, and 172% sales uplift.[1][3][5] The platform streamlines the full content lifecycle—from discovery and sourcing via a global creator community to rights management, payments, and optimization with real-time insights—enabling brands to fuel marketing across social, email, ecommerce, and ads.[1][2][6]
With strong growth momentum, Social Native has executed over 2,000 campaigns, paid $5M+ to creators, and produced 150K+ pieces of branded content, positioning it as the "Uber of content" in the creator economy.[3][5]
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Social Native was established by David Shadpour (Founder & CEO) alongside co-founders Eytan Elbaz and Jeff Ragovin, who built a world-class team to reinvent branded content creation.[3][4] The idea emerged from recognizing the need for scalable, authentic UGC in a digital landscape demanding fresh content, evolving from a content marketplace into an AI-powered platform connecting brands with diverse creators worldwide.[2][3][5]
Early traction came through partnerships with major brands, rapid execution of campaigns, and backers like Hemi Zucker (J2), Ankur Bulsara (Scopely), Grady Burnett, and Kim Perrell (Singtel), fueling its growth into a leader serving global markets.[3][4] Pivotal moments include integrations like Klaviyo for UGC in email/SMS and case studies with Carhartt (500+ rights-approved photos in 2 months) and Walgreens (2K+ images/videos).[2][6]
Social Native stands out through its end-to-end AI-driven platform blending technology, creativity, and services:
These features make it faster, cheaper, and more scalable than traditional production.[3][5]
Social Native rides the explosive creator economy trend, where authentic UGC outperforms polished ads amid consumer distrust of traditional marketing and rising demand for personalized, shoppable content.[1][2][3] Timing is ideal post-2020s social commerce boom, with platforms like Instagram/TikTok prioritizing creator-driven discovery-to-purchase journeys, amplified by AI advancements in content intelligence.[1][5]
Market forces favoring it include global brand shifts to cost-effective UGC (e.g., 4x CTR gains), regulatory pushes for transparent influencer ads, and ecommerce growth needing scalable visuals.[3][6] It influences the ecosystem by democratizing creation—paying creators $5M+ and activating communities—while enabling brands like Airbnb/Adidas to localize at scale, bridging tech hubs like LA's media ecosystem with distributed operations.[2][4][7]
Social Native is poised to dominate AI-driven creator marketing as platforms deepen UGC integration and regulations evolve, potentially expanding into immersive formats like AR/video or Web3 creator DAOs. Trends like real-time personalization, predictive analytics, and multi-modal AI will shape its trajectory, with enterprise adoption driving revenue amid a $100B+ creator market.
Its influence may evolve from content enabler to full marketing intelligence hub, empowering more brands to harness "everyone has the power to create & influence"—cementing its unrivaled leadership in scaling authentic storytelling.[1][4]
Social Native has raised $8.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $8.0M Seed in May 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2017 | $8M Seed | SoftBank Capital | Abstract Ventures, Accelerator Ventures, ACT ONE Ventures, Ambridge Capital, Benchmark, BITKRAFT Ventures, Blumberg Capital, BOW Capital, C2 Investment, Compound, Craft Ventures, Creandum, Cupule Ventures, FTX Ventures, G20 Ventures, General Catalyst, Glasswing Ventures, ICONIQ Capital, IDG Ventures, IVP, Khosla Ventures, Kohala Ventures, KRM Interests LLC, Lazerow Ventures, Lead Edge Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, M13, Math Capital, Meritech Capital Partners, Miramar Ventures, Moonshots Capital, MS&AD Ventures, Passion Capital, PruVen Capital, Race Capital, Ragovin Ventures, Rally Ventures, Alexander Rosen, Samsung Next Ventures, Telstra Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Tribe Capital, True Ventures, XSeed Capital, Hugh Browne, Jennifer LUM, Paul Heydon, Peter Read, RON Zuckerman | Announced |
Social Native has raised $8.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Social Native's investors include SoftBank Capital, Abstract Ventures, Accelerator Ventures, Act One Ventures, Ambridge Capital, Benchmark, BITKRAFT Ventures, Blumberg Capital, Bow Capital, C2Ventures, Compound, Craft Ventures.