Zealot Networks
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| Private | |
| Industry | Digital media |
| Founded | August 2014 |
| Founder | Danny Zappin |
| Headquarters | Venice, CA |
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Key people
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Danny Zappin (president & CEO) Chad Seymour (CMO) Bob Vanech (CFO) Conn Fishburn (CSO) |
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Number of employees
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100+ |
| Website | zealotnetworks.com |
Zealot Networks is an American digital-first media and entertainment company based in Venice, California.
Zealot Networks was founded in August 2014 by Danny Zappin, the co-founder and former CEO of Maker Studios. Zappin had been working on Zealot for about six months prior to founding the company. In the summer of 2014, he raised $25 million, investing a large portion of the payout he earned from the sale of Maker Studios to Disney, with additional investments from former Maker Studios executives and talent. By the end of the year, Zealot had raised additional capital from UK broadcaster ITV, the largest commercial television network in the UK. With the deal, ITV became the company's first media industry investor, acquiring a minority stake and gaining a board position, while helping Zealot expand into the European market. The ITV investment valued the company at over $100 million.
Zappin has stated that the company is a continuation of his work at multi-channel network Maker Studios. Rather than focusing exclusively on YouTube talent, however, Zealot is a multi-company network, made up of a variety of interconnected digital media companies with different areas of expertise working together while continuing to operate independently, in an effort to accelerate their collective growth. Zealot intends to work with content creators and entrepreneurs to help build their businesses and provide synergistic collaboration with Zealot's other companies, which include production firms, technology companies, talent agencies, marketing agencies and advertising agencies.
Zealot is based in Venice, California. In late-August 2014, the company signed a five-year lease for space at 660 Venice Blvd., a two-building property that sits on the site of author Ray Bradbury's childhood home.
Zealot plans to release its first content in late 2015, with its work to include television shows, feature films, live events and musical artist development. The company intends to create some content with brands, and to create other content on its own, with brands advertising against that content. Zealot will distribute content across its own sites, as well as third-party platforms including YouTube, Vine and Instagram.
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