Popfly, an online marketing platform that joins online influencers with makers of outdoor goods, adventure and travel brands, sees expansion with a $2 million seed-funding round.
Company founder and CEO Taylor Hoekstra said the money will help drive company growth in the so-called “creator economy” that is rapidly growing and challenging traditional marketing tools.
“Brand deals are just the start of the creator economy,” Hoekstra says. “The creator economy ecosystem spans fintech, global marketplaces and AI—each fueled by network effects.”
“Popfly will use this funding to drive research and development into our product, and bring on key leaders to drive growth,” Hoekstra told the Business Journal on May 27.
The company has, so far, raised a total of $3 million and counts 12 employees.
“Popfly will remain committed to outdoor, adventure and travel brands primarily but intend to achieve five times growth in our creator community within the next nine months,” he said.
Outdoor Brands, Influencers
Popfly calls itself the “all-together UGC (user generated content) creator platform where outdoor brands & influencers unite.”
The company boasts 50,000 creators, a rapidly growing number, and more than 50 brands.
Investor Rand Currier led the $2 million seed-funding round announced in March.
Currier is an “angel investor,” according to investor website PitchBook. He “invests personal money into promising companies, typically in exchange for equity,” PitchBook said.
Currier is a principal of Private Equity of NH, leading “early-stage investments in innovative startups,” according to his LinkedIn profile.
Hoekstra said the investors in the seed round include “some of the early US-based employees of TikTok.”
North Face, High Camp, Hey Dude
Popfly actively collaborates with brands such as Hey Dude, Camp Chef, Merrell, The North Face, High Camp and ALPAKA among others.
“Most brands have found it difficult to achieve both impact and cost efficiency in creator-driven marketing. But, when they successfully collaborate with creators who inherently understand what works on social, it becomes a superpower,” Popfly says.
User-generated content, particularly when it’s shot outdoors, consistently outperforms traditional influencer campaigns.
“It’s a serious undertaking to get it right. Brands, creators, agencies and software startups are working with Popfly to get results,” Popfly said.
