How to Fund a New Media Company

New media companies are always looking for potential investors to take them off the startup ground. In doing some research on the subject, I came across the Peacock Equity Fund – something to keep in the back of your mind for all you media start-ups out there. Peacock Equity is a global fund of $250 million which was introduced in April 2007 by a partnership between GE Commercial Finance and NBC Universal. The fund focuses on companies developing technologies, platforms or business models that are a “strategic fit” to NBC Universal. The Fund will invest in these industries in the range from $3 to $25 million at a time. The areas that the fund focuses on are (and I am quoting from their website):

• Advertising: Digital Ad Sales, Advanced TV, Web, Mobile, Media Measurement, Other Digital Platforms;
• Digital Content & Communities: Avatars/Virtual Worlds, Focused Verticals, Multi-Platform Reach, Content Complementary to Existing Brands or Demographics;
• Health: Consumer Content and Tools, Multi-Platform Reach;
• Technology: Collaborative Filtering; Recommendation Engines, Knowledge/Predictive Management, Automated Content Identification, Broadcast Technologies;’
• Wireless/Online: Content, Gaming/MMOGs, Advertising, Distribution, Search, Personalization, Services/Technologies.

In accessing their website (http://www.gelending.com/Gmc/Peacock/SubmitProposal.html), you can submit your proposal as to why you think your company should receive between 3-25 million. In other words, you need to have a solid, airtight, fabulous business plan. No nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements will be accepted.

Prior companies that have received Peacock funding include: Healthline, IGA Worldwide, Trion World Network, Inc., Firebrand and ADiFY.