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Vertical Networks
Vertical Networks operates as a content-creation studio publishing and producing daily editorial and video properties
About Vertical Networks
Vertical Networks, established in 2016 by founder Elisabeth Murdoch, carved a niche for itself as a mobile-first content studio headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The company was conceived to capitalize on the burgeoning consumption of video on mobile devices, with a strategic focus on producing short-form, vertical video series tailored for social media platforms, primarily Snapchat. Murdoch, with her extensive background in the media industry, aimed to replicate her success in developing globally recognized titles for a new generation of viewers accustomed to mobile-first experiences. The initial leadership was under CEO Tom Wright, a seasoned investor in media and technology, who had previously founded and sold community-driven content sites. In September 2018, Jesus Chavez, formerly the COO at the Latino-focused digital studio mitu, took over as CEO, bringing his experience in scaling digital media businesses.
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The company's business model revolved around the creation and production of original, data-driven content. Vertical Networks developed and tested new show concepts by analyzing over 100 variables in each Snapchat edition, allowing them to validate ideas before significant investment. This data-centric approach informed their creative process, leading to the production of numerous series, or 'Snap Originals'. These shows were designed to be highly engaging, utilizing mobile-native storytelling techniques like split screens and interactive elements to capture the attention of a younger, mobile-native audience. Revenue was generated through the content created for platforms like Snapchat. Some of their most popular shows included the dating series "Phone Swap," the men's lifestyle channel "Brother," and the interactive murder mystery "Solve".
A significant milestone in the company's journey was its acquisition by the sports and entertainment media company Whistle (now Team Whistle) in October 2019. The all-stock transaction saw both founder Elisabeth Murdoch and early investor Snap Inc. acquire equity in Whistle. The acquisition was a strategic move for Whistle to expand its portfolio of lifestyle and entertainment content, leveraging Vertical Networks' expertise in creating data-backed, mobile-first intellectual property. Following the acquisition, the Vertical Networks brand was absorbed, and its team integrated into Whistle to continue developing content for young audiences. The original domain, verticalnetworks.com, is no longer associated with this entity.
At a glance
- Status
- Acquired
- Founded
- 2015
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, United States
- Employees
- 9
- Open positions
- None listed
- Dealroom signal
- 37.9/100
- Industry
- Media
- Sub-industry
- Content production
- Sector
- Consumer Services, Entertainment, Content Management, Publishing, Video, Digital Entertainment
- Client focus
- b2b
Latest news
Press, funding announcements and product moves mentioning Vertical Networks.
Funding history
Company financing events and reported valuations.
| Deal type | Date | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACQUISITIONOther financing | Oct 2019 | $0 | — | Whistle | — |
| SERIES FOther financing | Jun 2001 | $15M | $60M | Kleiner Perkins · Focus Ventures · Integral Capital Partners · Levensohn Venture Partners | — |
Growth signals
Latest recorded traffic for Vertical Networks is 320 monthly website visits, down 56.2% over the last three months. Vertical Networks's team declined 43.8% over the past year.
Similar companies
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Investors
From Dealroom's funding and investor records, grouped by the round each investor first entered.
Series B and later7 investors entered at this stage
Kleiner Perkins
Integral Capital Partners
Focus Ventures
Ignite Group
Selta.es- FGFortune Venture Investment Group
Levensohn Venture Partners
Other known investors1 additional known investor
Whistle
Source: Dealroom Talent Intelligence.
Global footprint
team presence
Market sentiment
An AI-synthesised read of the highest-engagement posts about Vertical Networks on X, ranked by likes and reposts, corporate channels excluded.
Reading the room on X — pulling top posts and synthesizing themes…
Source: X recent search ranked by engagement (likes + retweets) · Synthesis by Claude · Cached for 1 hour
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