INTENT MediaWorks Closes $10 Million In Series B Funding

INTENT MediaWorks, today announced it has closed $10 million in Series B funding, led by Greycroft Partners, SoftBank Capital, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) and Allen & Co. The additional capital will be used to support product development, infrastructure build-out and marketing as INTENT continues to see growing demand for its fully integrated digital distribution platform.

INTENT, co-founded by Les Ottolenghi and Glenn Martin, is the first company to enable providers of digital entertainment to effectively deliver licensed music, video, film, games and software via the Internet across multiple distribution channels in a legal, profitable and consumer-friendly manner. INTENT's digital platform makes digital music and video available to the millions of people using open P2P applications, Web sites, social networks, blogs and IPTV.

"The entertainment industry and advertising communities have not scratched the surface of the market opportunities that exist on P2P and social online networks. INTENT, however, is transforming the business of digital entertainment," said Drew Lipsher, partner with Greycroft. "INTENT gives content owners and advertisers an unprecedented opportunity to implement specific distribution, marketing and monetization strategies for each market or channel they choose to pursue. With INTENT, consumers can acquire licensed music and video on their terms, content owners are compensated for their work and advertisers reach a vast and attractive audience. INTENT MediaWorks is poised to revolutionize the online distribution of music and video."

INTENT will leverage the new investment to capitalize on significant growing industry demand for its proprietary platform which distributes and monetizes online music and video over peer-to-peer (P2P) and online social networks. INTENT currently works with content providers like Nettwerk Music Group (Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan and Avril Lavigne), Violator Management (50 Cent, Diddy, Three 6 Mafia and Papoose), SLAMjamz (Public Enemy) and KOCH Entertainment, America's largest independently distributed record label.

In addition to artists and entertainment content owners, advertisers are eager to take advantage of the enormous market shift to a digital lifestyle. INTENT makes this possible by bringing an advertiser's message directly to consumers where they are accessing, downloading and sharing digital music and video. INTENT's content-level approach to advertising produces better costs per impression (CPM) and the kind of measurable advertising that has not been available to them through traditional TV, radio or print media.

"We're privileged to have Greycroft, SoftBank Capital, BDMI and Allen & Co. as investors. They are among the most prominent in the media and venture industry," said Gregg Freishtat, CEO of INTENT MediaWorks. "There are extraordinary opportunities for businesses that effectively engage the millions of fans around the world that have grown accustomed to acquiring and sharing music and video online. Rather than asking these consumers to change their behavior, INTENT has developed technologies and business models that leverage consumers existing behavior and expectations while protecting the legal rights of our clients. INTENT offers artists, content owners and advertisers the unique ability to tap into and capitalize upon the explosive growth of P2P and social networks. With the support of our distinguished investment team, INTENT will be at the forefront of the movement to make P2P and social networks the dominant distribution channels for mainstream, legitimate media."