Zannel

About Zannel

Zannel positioned itself as a mobile media and microblogging community, established in late 2007 by founders Adam Zbar, Steve Hoffman, Braxton Woodham, and Harry Evans. The company aimed to simplify the sharing of mobile photos and videos across various platforms including mobile devices, the web, and social networks. The venture secured a total of $16 million in funding over two rounds. The initial Series A round occurred on October 4, 2006, raising $6 million from Palomar Ventures and USVP. This was followed by a larger Series B round of $10 million on June 2, 2008, with contributions from Alloy Ventures and USVP.

The core of Zannel's business was its Instant Media Messaging™ service, which provided a platform for content creators to distribute and monetize their work. The business model targeted three main client groups: artists and celebrities looking to monetize their social media presence, content creators aiming for wider promotion, and general users who wanted to share media with their personal networks. Revenue was generated through a combination of downloads, subscriptions to premium content, sponsorships, and advertising.

A key product in Zannel's portfolio was Tourwatch, a patent-pending monetization platform. This service enabled major artists, such as comedian Dane Cook and musician Keith Urban, to offer exclusive video, picture, and text updates to their fanbase for a fee. Subscribers could also access tour information and purchase tickets or merchandise directly through the application. In December 2008, the company launched a free iPhone application called CityWatch, a location-aware service that allowed users to see and interact with geo-tagged content posted on Zannel and other networks like Twitter and Flickr. The company had established over 50 partnerships with media companies including Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, and Walt Disney Pictures.