ColorCreative, a management and production company co-founded by Issa Rae, is set to undergo a major expansion thanks to a new strategic partnership with HarbourView Equity Partners, a Black-woman-founded investment firm. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but with HarbourView’s backing, the company plans to evolve into a fully integrated, independent studio platform with global ambitions. “Partnering with HarbourView allows us to dream even bigger,” said Rae, per Private Equity Insights. “We remain committed to supporting the kinds of projects that made us fall in love with
Sundial Media & Technology Group, the parent company of ESSENCE, AFROPUNK, and Refinery29, has partnered with Creator Currency Networks to launch a new platform for women creators. CreateHer Network is the first creator platform dedicated to bridging the economic gap between women’s cultural influence and how much they’re paid. It has already secured partnerships with key industry players, including ESSENCE, Refinery29, BeautyCon, Curly Culture, and CurlyCon, according to a press release. CreateHer: A Platform For Economic Power Women drive 85% of US purchasing decisions and influence $31.8 trillion in global
Issa Rae has announced a new collaboration between ColorCreative, her management company, and the streaming platform Tubi. Together, they’ve launched “Stubios,” an initiative aimed at supporting up-and-coming creators by providing a direct path into the entertainment industry. This partnership offers five creative teams the chance to develop their debut projects, which will premiere on Tubi, with full funding provided by the platform. A Platform for Emerging Talent ColorCreative, co-founded by Issa Rae and led by CEO Talitha Watkins, is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, according to their website. Through the
While TikTok fights a potential US ban in court, Snapchat is seizing the opportunity to attract creators. Here’s what Snap’s feature announcements and new partnership with Issa Rae’s company, Ensemble, could mean for creators from underrepresented backgrounds. Snap Partners With Issa Rae Snap has ramped up efforts to make Snapchat the go-to platform for creators. During its NewFronts presentation in May, Snap announced a collaboration with Issa Rae’s new company, Ensemble. This partnership aims to expand Snap’s 523 Program, which provides creators from underrepresented backgrounds with $10,000 per month, 1:1
Actor, writer, and comedian Issa Rae is launching a new company, Ensemble, to connect brands with diverse creators. Ensemble Connecting Brands With Diverse Creators Ensemble is a next-generation branded entertainment company bringing production and distribution infrastructure to a diverse group of creators. The company collaborates with brands, platforms, and publishers to produce and distribute content that shapes culture while engaging audiences. Their primary mission is to make the creator economy more equitable for underrepresented creators, as research has previously found that Black creators, on average, made 35% less than white creators. Ensemble is funded
Issa Rae keeps her private life to herself, but when it comes to business, she’s all about “getting her bag.” As she prepares for the return of Insecure season 5, a show about navigating through adulthood from an African-American female perspective, POCIT has decided to take a deep dive into her several startup investments. We break down which companies the producer, actress, and writer has invested into and how the businesses are thriving. Streamlytic – Founded in 2018 It seems Issa’s first investment was in a tech company that aims to
Issa Rae has joined forces with American Express and the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. to help push their joint mission to expand their ByBlack initiative by launching the “first national certification program exclusively for Black-ownership designation.” The free platform, which was designed as a directory for Black-owned businesses, will now offer Black business-owners the opportunity to easily obtain approved accreditation that their customers and other companies can trust when spending with them. “Black businesses are American businesses,” Rae said, adding, “I think it’s one thing to support them during a very specific time when
