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§ Private Profile · 114 W 26th Street, 5th Floor New York, NY 10001
Thuzio is a company.
Thuzio has raised $13.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Thuzio.
Thuzio has raised $13.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Thuzio operates a B2B platform specializing in premium influencer events and corporate entertainment. The company provides exclusive access to a curated network of renowned personalities, including sports icons, enabling brands to craft unique engagement opportunities. Its core service curates bespoke events that connect clients with high-profile talent for impactful experiences.
Thuzio was co-founded in 2011 by Mark Gerson and former NFL star Tiki Barber. Their insight stemmed from leveraging the charisma and compelling narratives of celebrated figures to elevate corporate events and client engagement. This blend of entrepreneurial drive and athletic pedigree established Thuzio's distinct market approach.
Thuzio serves sales organizations and leading brands, offering distinctive event solutions to strengthen client relationships and foster engagement. The company envisions itself as the premier platform for connecting businesses with influential personalities, delivering unparalleled access and immersive experiences that enhance brand loyalty and corporate culture.
Thuzio has raised $13.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $7.0M Series B in September 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2015 | $7M Series B | Prudence Holdings | RSE Ventures, Terry Pegula, Shad Azimi | Announced |
| Aug 8, 2014 | $6M Series A | — | Michael Weisman, Rafael Pastor, East Asset Management, Prudence Holdings, RSE Ventures | Announced |
Key people at Thuzio.
Thuzio is a sports and media membership company that connects businesses with sports icons, celebrities, and influencers through premium live and virtual events, interviews, sponsorships, and hospitality experiences.[1][2][5] Originally launched in 2012 as an online marketplace for booking athletes (now evolved into the separate Julius platform), Thuzio's events arm focuses on B2B memberships serving top U.S. banks, consulting firms, and SaaS companies, hosting 100+ events annually at major sports occasions like the Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Weekend.[1][2] It serves corporate clients seeking to inspire teams and customers via exclusive access, with tiered memberships for individuals, teams, and enterprises, and has raised $27.5M in funding while generating under $5M in revenue pre-acquisition.[2][3]
Thuzio was founded in 2012 (with some sources noting 2011) by Tiki Barber, a former New York Giants running back; Mark Gerson, co-founder of GLG; and Jared Augustine, from Seamless/GrubHub, addressing Barber's insight that accessing professional athletes for engagements was nearly impossible.[1][3][5][6] The idea emerged from building an athlete database, which secured over $20M in venture funding and grew into a broader influencer platform rebranded as Julius in 2017, when Thuzio spun off its events business as an independent entity with a $1.8M note.[1][3] Early traction came from demand for live appearances, leading to national event series in 2014 and further raises: $400K equity in 2017 ($2.5M post-money), $1M in 2019 ($5M pre-money), and equity crowdfunding via SeedInvest.[2][3]
Thuzio rides the wave of experiential marketing and influencer economies, capitalizing on millennial/Gen-Z demand for authentic, memorable interactions over traditional ads amid live events' digital shift post-pandemic.[5] Timing aligns with sports media fragmentation and B2B needs for employee/customer engagement, amplified by virtual formats during disruptions.[1][5] Market forces like premium content streaming (e.g., TrillerTV) and corporate wellness trends favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by bridging athlete IP with brands, as seen in its integration into TrillerNet's portfolio alongside Verzuz and Triller Fight Club to expand live event programming.[5]
Acquired by TrillerNet in 2021, Thuzio operates as an owned entity under founders Barber, Augustine, and team, poised to scale via Triller's AI, streaming (FITE, TrillerTV), and music/sports assets toward 300 annual events across 30 markets and $25M+ revenue by early 2020s projections.[3][5] Rising trends in hybrid live-virtual experiences, Web3 fan engagement, and influencer commerce will shape its path, potentially evolving influence through global expansion and deeper tech integrations like AI personalization. As experiential content dominates B2B marketing, Thuzio's athlete-access edge positions it to redefine premium networking in a post-streaming world.[5][7]
Thuzio has raised $13.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Thuzio's investors include Prudence Holdings, RSE Ventures, Terry Pegula, Shad Azimi, Michael Weisman, Rafael Pastor, East Asset Management.
