Добавить новость

Для гостей «Путешествия в Рождество» подготовили детские утренники и спектакли

Медведев: за год почти 440 тыс человек заключили контракт с Минобороны

Представлены инициативы по развитию семейной политики

Эксперт: расширение сети метро дает новый импульс для развития столицы



News in English


Новости сегодня

Новости от TheMoneytizer

2 cofounders whose last company sold to Amazon have raised $5 million to turbocharge a new comic-book startup. Read their pitch deck.

  • Comic-book startup Dstlry announced in August it raised a $5 million seed round.
  • Its team used a 36-page pitch deck to tell a story for investors around creator content and tech.
  • In the deck, its founders highlighted their work backgrounds and 2023 projects to score new funding.

Comic-book upstart Dstlry announced this month it raised a $5 million seed round, bringing its total funding to $7.4 million since 2022 when cofounders Chip Mosher and David Steinberger began working on the project.

Dstlry is a comic-book publishing platform that gives creators an equity cut and resale royalties, offering more potential upside for artists and writers than traditional comics publishers. It also runs a marketplace for customers to resell digital editions, verifying authenticity via the company's ledger system.

Mosher and Steinberger have lived and breathed comic books for more than a decade. Steinberger cofounded the comic-book platform Comixology in 2007, where Mosher would later serve as head of content. The pair joined Amazon in 2014 after it acquired the upstart, helping to shape the tech giant's digital comics and manga content experience.

That background gave the pair a leg up when it came time to fundraise for Dstlry, Steinberger told Business Insider.

"In seed funding, I think investors put as much on the people as the idea," he said. "Selling a company to Amazon is a proof point. Running worldwide comics there is a proof point."

The company's recent round was led by 1AM Gaming. Other investors include publishers Kodansha and Delcourt, former Warner Bros. executive Lorenzo di Bonaventura, tech investor Mike Vorhaus, and video-game veteran John Schappert.

Even with strong backgrounds in comics, the fundraising environment was "weird," Steinberger said, particularly given how much artificial-intelligence has infiltrated the imaginations of VCs.

Dstlry's story for investors was rooted in its content and relationships with human creators. It's a media publisher that operates a marketplace with some Web3 components that allow it to verify ownership. But it's specifically built not to feel like a platform for NFTs, short for non-fungible tokens. "The fun of digital collecting without the blockchain BS," the company wrote on its website.

The company is betting on original, human-made content and using technology to bring that front and center. For example, it recently added the ability for creators to digitally sign and sketch on new comic-book editions.

"I think that more and more, human-made items and artifacts are going to be a value," he said. "We've kind of swam against the trends."

In its 36-page pitch deck to investors, the company highlighted its cofounders' backgrounds, outlined how its platform helps creators and customers, touted the success of the three projects Dstlry published in 2023, and teased how it plans to expand the business.

BI is publishing 26 key slides, excluding some with repeated or redacted information such as Dstlry's valuation, run rate, and proprietary business plans.

In the pitch, the cofounders said they preferred to have fewer words on slides as they believed it's better to describe something to investors rather than have them read it off of a slide.

"We spent a lot of time on the deck trying to really refine the storytelling," Steinberger said. "Obviously, we love comic books, and comic books have an economy of storytelling, and we wanted the deck to reflect the fun of the industry that we work in."

Introducing Dstlry

Dstlry's cofounders told BI they first began planning the business in the second half of 2022. The company published its first comic book, "The Devil's Cut," in August 2023.

Dstlry has a countdown clock on its website for comic-book drops

Dstlry publishes both physical and digital versions of its comic books. The company also sells T-shirts and other apparel related to its releases.

On this slide, the founders wrote that "DSTLRY is a premium physical-digital drop culture collectibles company with creators at its core — delivering the best of digital collectibles worldwide."

A different kind of publisher

Dstlry teases that it is a "different kind of publisher."

Dstlry's cofounders, Chip Mosher and David Steinberger

Cofounders Chip Mosher and David Steinberger worked together on digital comics upstart Comixology, which Amazon acquired in 2014.

Steinberger oversaw comics and manga at Amazon

Steinberger cofounded Comixology before Dstlry. In Dstlry's deck, the company touted that he is a technical product leader with 15 years of experience, including:

  • Multiple comics-reading patents
  • Led and defined the experience for comics and manga worldwide for Amazon between 2014 and 2022
  • Became a go-to Web3 consultant internally to the Amazon Alexa Investment Fund
Comixology was a top grosser in Apple's app store

The company highlighted that Comixology was a top-grossing non-game app for three years.

Praise for Steinberger

The company quoted Forbes contributor Rob Salkowitz, who wrote in March 2022 on the pop culture site ICV2 that "it's hard to think of many other people who have had as big an impact on the 21st-century comics business as David Steinberger."

Mosher's background includes marketing roles at Boom! Studios and Comixology

The company wrote that Mosher's experience included 30-plus years of experience as a comics entrepreneur, including:

  • Deeply connected to comics talent and entertainment industry
  • Head of marketing at Boom! Studios
  • Head of marketing and communications at Comixology between 2011 and 2018
  • Head of content for Comixology Originals between 2017 and 2022
  • Featured on Tripwire Magazine's 2021 power list
Mosher helped original projects get optioned

Around 10% to 15% of the intellectual property that Mosher worked on for Comixology Originals, the company's content arm, has been optioned, according to Dstlry.

Praise for Mosher

Comics artist and writer Steve Murray, known professionally as Chip Zdarsky, wrote in June 2022 that "it was Chip's passion for comics and getting people to read them that secured us our Eisner win for 'Afterlift,' I'm sure of it."

Dstlry says it helps creators do their 'best, most commercial work'

Dstlry is structured to "encourage creators to do their best, most commercial work," the company wrote.

The publishing industry has been tough for comics creators

"Creators are taken advantage of by publishers, or are ill-served by them," Dstlry wrote atop a series of news clips reporting comic creator dissatisfaction with the industry.

Dstlry highlights how it pays creators

Dstlry told BI it set aside 3% of its shares for its first three years of publishing to award options to creators. It distributes those shares based on how much revenue a creator's work brings in for the company.

The company also says it offers royalties based on cover price, the same royalty tiers for all parties, and a "human-readable contract" in an understandable order with a summary and signature page at the front featuring what creators told them were the most important details for a contract.

Creators 'heart' the model

"We've proven the best creators in the business 'heart' our model," the company wrote.

Press coverage about Dstlry

The company excerpted quotes from recent press coverage, including a New York Times piece that described Dstlry's first comic-book writers as a "murderers' row of talent."

Dstlry customers get to collect something

Dstlry offers physical and digital versions of comic books, and some purchases come with benefits like "special access to collectibles, live online and IRL events, and more," per its website.

"DSTLRY customers feel like they are a part of something," the company wrote in its deck. "They get the fun and satisfaction of collecting in digital, with benefits."

The company touts its different formats

So much of comic-book culture is about collecting. Dstlry's system allows users to collect physical and digital versions of comics, along with the ability to resell digital copies in its marketplace.

The thesis is working

In its deck, Dstlry had several slides with a single, broad idea. This was on purpose.

"The slide should just tell them exactly what you want them to take away," Steinberger told BI.

"The thesis is working," Dstlry wrote on this slide, which was followed by supporting evidence.

The company's first 3 releases

In 2023, Dstlry released "The Devil's Cut," a project developed by nearly two dozen writers and artists; "Gone" from Jock, Will Dennis, and Emma Price; and "Somna" from Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay.

The company plans to publish around 60 works this year.

2023 performance

Dstlry shared how the three comics performed in terms of sales, audience reception, and other criteria. It wrote:

"The Devil's Cut"

  • Best single issue of 2023, per Comicon.com
  • No. 2 revenue generator for retailers the week of its release
  • 50,000 sold in retail at $9.99
  • Sold out at distributor

"Gone"

  • Top re-ordered comic
  • 40,000 sold in retail at $8.99
  • Sold out at distributor
  • Di Bonaventura Pictures developing script

"Somna"

  • Multiple 2023 top ten lists
  • Top re-ordered comic
  • 30,000 sold in retail at $8.99
  • Sold out at distributor
Publisher of the year

Comics-industry outlet The Beat named Dstlry its 2023 publisher of the year.

Dstlry customer survey data

Dstlry surveyed its customers through social media and its mailing list and found that 91% felt positive about its company.

Steinberger said the company framed this slide, as with others in the presentation, around what he wanted investors to take away.

"We didn't say 'Survey Results,'" Steinberger said. "That's terrible. That's not telling them at all what's going on there."

Dstlry's investor and advisor team

Dstlry's investor and advisor team includes Lorenzo di Bonaventura, a former president at Warner Bros.; John Schappert, cofounder of video-game developer Tiburon Entertainment; and tech, gaming, and digital-media investor Mike Vorhaus.

Other key investors

The company lists investors 1AM Gaming, GFR Fund, Japanese publisher Kodansha, and French publisher Delcourt as other key shareholders.

The Dstlry flywheel

The company then included a business flywheel (a concept commonly used by staffers at Amazon to show how different parts of a business can help others grow).

Dstlyr's flywheel is built around the company courting top creators to bring original content to its platform. It packages that content in a "premium product" and digital experience, which then drives up fan engagement.

Dstlry closed out its deck with an email prompt

At the end of its presentation, Dstlry offered a closing slide with a prompt to "email for more information."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Читайте на 123ru.net


Новости 24/7 DirectAdvert - доход для вашего сайта



Частные объявления в Вашем городе, в Вашем регионе и в России



Smi24.net — ежеминутные новости с ежедневным архивом. Только у нас — все главные новости дня без политической цензуры. "123 Новости" — абсолютно все точки зрения, трезвая аналитика, цивилизованные споры и обсуждения без взаимных обвинений и оскорблений. Помните, что не у всех точка зрения совпадает с Вашей. Уважайте мнение других, даже если Вы отстаиваете свой взгляд и свою позицию. Smi24.net — облегчённая версия старейшего обозревателя новостей 123ru.net. Мы не навязываем Вам своё видение, мы даём Вам срез событий дня без цензуры и без купюр. Новости, какие они есть —онлайн с поминутным архивом по всем городам и регионам России, Украины, Белоруссии и Абхазии. Smi24.net — живые новости в живом эфире! Быстрый поиск от Smi24.net — это не только возможность первым узнать, но и преимущество сообщить срочные новости мгновенно на любом языке мира и быть услышанным тут же. В любую минуту Вы можете добавить свою новость - здесь.




Новости от наших партнёров в Вашем городе

Ria.city

Стало известно, как и по какой цене будет работать общественный транспорт в Москве и Питере в новогодние праздники

Спецборт МЧС доставит в Москву пострадавших при крушении самолета в Актау россиян

Итоги российского председательства в СНГ подвели на саммите в Петербурге

Иркутская филармония с 31 декабря по 7 января будет вести онлайн праздничную программу

Музыкальные новости

Команда «ЛокоТех» завоевала серебряный Кубок по мини-футболу

Сотрудники СОБР и ОМОН подмосковного главка Росгвардии прошли испытания на право ношения знака отличия полицейского спецназа

Вышел новый рейтинг "Специалисты, к которым хочется возвращаться. Кем может гордиться Москва?"

Путин в «Игоре»: президент в эти дни работает из Петербурга и Ленобласти

Новости России

Собянин: Цель Москвы в том, чтобы сделать столицу лучшим городом Земли

Стало известно, как и по какой цене будет работать общественный транспорт в Москве и Питере в новогодние праздники

Неэффективно используемые участки в районах Дмитровский и Лианозово реорганизуют по программе КРТ

Капительный ремонт дома 1954 года постройки завершился в ЮЗАО

Экология в России и мире

Как обрести чарующий голос: супер простое упражнение!

Общий анализ крови: как к нему подготовиться и можно ли самостоятельно расшифровать результаты

В филиале «Южный» по итогам 2024 года программа по улучшению условий и охраны труда выполнена на 100%

Врач-офтальмолог Кирилл Светлаков: почему нельзя покупать готовые очки для зрения

Спорт в России и мире

Двукратного чемпиона «Больших шлемов» в паре Перселла временно отстранили за употребление допинга

Путинцева откровенно высказалась о России

Карлос Алькарас сыграет на турнире ATP-500 в Дохе, куда заявлены ещё шесть игроков топ-10

Тарпищев: в 2025 году Мирра Андреева может войти в первую десятку WTA

Moscow.media

• Dusil Photography • https://dusil.org

Более 230 работодателей Москвы и Московской области получили субсидии за трудоустройство новых сотрудников по программе субсидирования найма

Портативный ТСД корпоративного класса Saotron RT-T70

Сысертский депутат подал в суд на местную думу – всё из-за "мусорного" референдума











Топ новостей на этот час

Rss.plus






Стало известно, как и по какой цене будет работать общественный транспорт в Москве и Питере в новогодние праздники

Итоги российского председательства в СНГ подвели на саммите в Петербурге

Иркутская филармония с 31 декабря по 7 января будет вести онлайн праздничную программу

Сергей Собянин выразил благодарность Владимиру Путину за поддержку