Top 100 Media and Entertainment Startups to Watch in 2026

Top 100 Media and Entertainment Startups to Watch in 2026

The media and entertainment sector is a mix of established content platforms and specialized new ventures. This list includes sports streaming service DAZN, which has raised $5.1 billion, and the new women’s basketball league Unrivaled.

Artificial intelligence is also a major force, with newcomers like Black Forest Labs securing €28 million in its first year.

Below is our list of 100 Media and Entertainment startups worth keeping an eye on.

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CRED Logo

CRED builds an intelligent hub for businesses that uses predictive intelligence to help them find and win new customers. Their platform integrates with existing sales and marketing systems, analyzing real-world signals to guide go-to-market teams.

HeadquartersLondon, England, United Kingdom
Year Founded2023
FoundersAnthony Meir, Chaitanya Shah, Jon Carr-Harris
Funding Amount$15M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeed
Top InvestorsGaingels, Alumni Ventures, Defy.vc, HOF Capital, BAM Ventures
Unrivaled Logo

Unrivaled is building a new women’s basketball league to provide an offseason platform for elite athletes. The league is the first of its kind to be player-owned and will feature top talent competing in 3-on-3 and 1-on-1 games.

HeadquartersMiami, Florida, United States
Year Founded2023
FoundersBreanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier
Funding Amount$43.7M
Startup SizeFounding Team (1-10)
Last Funding StatusSeries B
Top InvestorsBessemer Venture Partners, Serena Ventures, Avenue Capital Group, Warner Bros., Next Legacy Partners
Black Forest Labs Logo

Black Forest Labs develops advanced generative deep learning models for creating images and videos. They emphasize making this technology broadly accessible and transparent for users.

HeadquartersFreiburg Im Breisgau, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Year Founded2024
Founders
Funding Amount€28M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeed
Top InvestorsGeneral Catalyst, Andreessen Horowitz, Mätch VC, Garry Tan, Michael Ovitz
Epic Logo

Epic created a popular digital library for kids, offering thousands of books, audiobooks, and learning videos in a single subscription. The platform provides a safe and engaging environment for children under 12 to explore their interests and foster a passion for reading.

HeadquartersPalo Alto, California, United States
Year Founded2013
FoundersKevin Donahue, Suren Markosian
Funding Amount$51.5M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusSeries D
Top InvestorsMenlo Ventures, 500 Global, Reach Capital, Translink Capital, WI Harper Group
DAZN Logo

DAZN operates a global sports streaming platform, offering subscribers live and on-demand access to a wide variety of events. The service is particularly known for its comprehensive boxing coverage and for broadcasting major international sports leagues.

HeadquartersLondon, England, United Kingdom
Year Founded2015
FoundersJames Rushton, Leonard Blavatnik
Funding Amount$5.1B
Startup SizeMajor Organization (1,001-5,000)
Last Funding StatusPrivate Equity
Top InvestorsAccess Industries, SURJ Sports Investment, Len Blavatnik
Substack Logo

Substack built a platform that allows independent writers to publish newsletters and earn a living through subscriptions. By handling payments, web hosting, and distribution, they empower writers to focus on their content and connect directly with readers.

HeadquartersSan Francisco, California, United States
Year Founded2017
FoundersChristopher Best, Hamish McKenzie, Jairaj Sethi
Funding Amount$200.2M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsAndreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, Bond, Quiet Capital, VentureSouq
Emerge Logo

Emerge builds a consumer device that uses ultrasound to generate tactile sensations, adding the sense of touch to virtual reality. Their platform works with popular VR headsets to help people feel more physically present and connected in social virtual experiences.

HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, United States
Year Founded2015
FoundersIsaac Castro, Mauricio Teran, Sly Spencer- Lee
Funding Amount$37.5M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeries A
Top InvestorsGaingels, Alumni Ventures, Golden Ventures, Alpaca VC, One Way Ventures

Legendary Entertainment produces and finances major motion pictures, television series, and digital comics for a global audience. They are the production house behind blockbuster franchises like Dune and the MonsterVerse.

HeadquartersBurbank, California, United States
Year Founded2004
FoundersThomas Tull
Funding Amount$3.6B
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusDebt Financing
Top InvestorsAccel, Apollo, Goldman Sachs, Founders Fund, Bank of America
Minute Media Logo

Minute Media built Voltax, a proprietary publishing platform that powers content creation, distribution, and monetization for digital media brands. The company also runs its own portfolio of popular publications centered on sports and culture, including FanSided, The Players’ Tribune, and Mental Floss.

HeadquartersLondon, England, United Kingdom
Year Founded2011
FoundersAsaf Peled, Gilad Beiman, Yuval Larom
Funding Amount$260M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsBlackRock, HSBC, Battery Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Dawn Capital
VideoVerse Logo

VideoVerse builds an AI-powered video platform designed to automate content creation and distribution for the media and entertainment industries. Their tools use generative AI to help sports leagues and broadcasters instantly produce and publish highlights and other short-form video.

HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, United States
Year Founded2016
FoundersAlok Patil, Saket Dandotia, Vinayak Shrivastav
Funding Amount$60.1M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsVenture Catalysts, Inflection Point Ventures, Moneta Ventures, Alpha Wave Global, InnoVen Capital

90 Additional Media and Entertainment Startups Worth Following

Our top ten picks offer just a glimpse of the activity across the media and entertainment landscape. Founders are building all kinds of new ventures, from young teams just getting started to established names trying fresh ideas.

Together, these companies have raised over $15 billion and are working in fields spanning from AI to sports and education. Here is a look at the other 90 companies shaping the future of the industry.



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