Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP (SA&M) represented client Obsidianworks Creative (Obsidianworks) in a strategic investment and partnership with 160over90. The deal was announced on June 2, 2021.
Obsidianworks is a culture-powered brand advisory firm co-founded in 2020 by actor Michael B. Jordan and marketing executive and Nike veteran Chad Easterling. 160over90 is a cultural marketing agency and a subsidiary of Endeavor known for producing relevant work featuring many of the biggest names in pop culture today. The deal represents a shared vision for creating cutting-edge storytelling and campaigns, especially for millennial, Gen Z and multicultural audiences.
Attorneys working on the transaction included Greg Akselrud, Andrew Sahn and Brent Armitage.
The deal was covered by The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Deadline.
SA&M’s Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment Practice Group advises individuals and companies across all aspects of their corporate, strategic and licensing businesses, including in connection with a full range of mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and other strategic transactions. For more information about the Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg Akselrud at .
SA&M client Altius Sports Partners (“ASP”), a leading-edge name, image and likeness advisory and education firm, signed a new partnership with The University of Georgia. This partnership bring decades of expertise from ASP into the top echelon of collegiate athletics. ASP will build customized name, image and likeness programs for the athletic department, focusing on the strengths of the program. The program will include management of name, image and likeness rule changes, maximization of new opportunities, and helping the program achieve the highest standards of excellence for its staff, coaches, and student athletes, from education and recruiting to administration and fundraising.
To read the full news mentions on SA&M Client ASP's New Partnership, see Sports Business Journal - Altius Sports to help UGA with NIL education
About Altius Sports Partners ("ASP")
Through consulting, strategic planning, compliance support and education, we support all stakeholders – athletic departments, coaches and student-athletes – with the resources they need to thrive in this new age of college athletics. ASP uses a 3-phased approach for the needs of colleges and universities as NIL rules develop. The phases include: (1) engagement and preparation through critical analyses of school-specific NIL threats and opportunities as well as educational plans for coaches and staff; (2) building a comprehensive educational program for student-athletes that will help them navigate the rapidly evolving NIL landscape; and (3) ongoing oversight of the NIL program through the use of technology to educate and guide student-athletes, as well as continued strategic guidance at the institutional level.
About Stubbs, Alderton & Markiles
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is a business law firm with robust corporate, public securities, mergers and acquisitions, entertainment, intellectual property, brand protection and business litigation practice groups focusing on the representation of, among others, venture backed emerging growth companies, middle market public companies, large technology companies, entertainment and digital media companies, investors, venture capital funds, investment bankers and underwriters. The firm’s clients represent the full spectrum of Southern California business with a concentration in the technology, entertainment, videogame, apparel and medical device sectors. Our mission is to provide technically excellent legal services in a consistent, highly-responsive and service-oriented manner with an entrepreneurial and practical business perspective. These principles are the hallmarks of our Firm.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg Akselrud at
SA&M client Altius Sports Partners (“ASP”), a leading-edge name, image and likeness advisory and education firm, signed a new partnership with The University of South Carolina. This partnership bring decades of expertise from ASP into the top echelon of collegiate athletics. ASP will build customized name, image and likeness programs for the athletic department, focusing on the strengths of the program. The program will include management of name, image and likeness rule changes, maximization of new opportunities, and helping the program achieve the highest standards of excellence for its staff, coaches, and student athletes, from education and recruiting to administration and fundraising.
To read the full news mentions on SA&M Client ASP's New Partnership, see
About Altius Sports Partners ("ASP")
Through consulting, strategic planning, compliance support and education, we support all stakeholders – athletic departments, coaches and student-athletes – with the resources they need to thrive in this new age of college athletics. ASP uses a 3-phased approach for the needs of colleges and universities as NIL rules develop. The phases include: (1) engagement and preparation through critical analyses of school-specific NIL threats and opportunities as well as educational plans for coaches and staff; (2) building a comprehensive educational program for student-athletes that will help them navigate the rapidly evolving NIL landscape; and (3) ongoing oversight of the NIL program through the use of technology to educate and guide student-athletes, as well as continued strategic guidance at the institutional level.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg Akselrud at
SA&M client Altius Sports Partners (“ASP”), a leading-edge name, image and likeness advisory and education firm, signed two new partnerships with Louisiana State University and The University of Texas. These partnerships bring decades of expertise from ASP into the top echelon of collegiate athletics. ASP will build customized name, image and likeness programs for each athletic department, focusing on the strengths of each program. ASP is also finalizing a partnership deal with Arizona State University Athletics. The programs will include management of name, image and likeness rule changes, maximization of new opportunities, and helping each program achieve the highest standards of excellence for its staff, coaches, and student athletes, from education and recruiting to administration and fundraising.
To read the full press release, click here.
To read the ASP Sports Business Journal Article, click here.
Greg Akselrud advises clients across a wide range of industries, including companies in the sports, entertainment, digital media, Internet, technology, software, mobile, and venture capital industries. For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg at
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is pleased to announce that eight lawyers have been named to the 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
Super Lawyers Magazine features the list and profiles of selected attorneys and is distributed to attorneys in the state or region and the ABA-accredited law school libraries. Super Lawyers is also published as a special section in leading city and regional magazines across the country. Lawyers are selected to a Super Lawyers list in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP would like to congratulate the following attorneys named to the 2020 Super Lawyers list –
Greg Akselrud is a founder and Partner of the firm and a member of the firm’s executive committee. He Chairs the firm’s Internet, Digital Media and Entertainment Practice group. Greg advises clients across a wide range of industries, including companies in the entertainment, digital media, Internet, technology, software, mobile, venture capital and consumer electronics industries.
Scott Alderton is a founding partner of the Firm, Managing Partner, and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. Scott is co-chair of the Firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Growth Practice Group and chair’s the Firm’s Interactive Entertainment and Video Games Group. Scott advises both public and private clients across a number of industries, including technology, manufacturing and distribution of goods in commerce, finance, the Internet, interactive video games, and new media industries.
Heather A. Antoine is a Partner and Chair of the Firm’s Trademark & Brand Protection practice and Co-Chair of the Privacy & Data Security practice group. Heather’s practice focuses on protecting a company’s intellectual property; a fundamental feature of every business. Heather’s practice includes trademark clearance and selection, domestic and foreign trademark prosecution, enforcement, proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), licensing, trade secret protection, copyright, rights of publicity, domain names disputes, and general client counseling.
Kevin D. DeBré is the chair of the Firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions Practice Group. Kevin advises entrepreneurs and companies that use intellectual property to build their businesses. Kevin has particular expertise in structuring and negotiating technology commercialization and patent licenses, strategic alliances, research and development collaborations, trademark licensing and brand merchandising agreements and manufacturing, distribution and marketing arrangements. He also counsels clients on compliance with data security and privacy laws and regulations.
Jeffrey Gersh is a Partner of the Firm in the Business Litigation Practice. He has litigated, arbitrated, or mediated complex business and commercial matters, for both plaintiffs and defendants, whether individuals, public or private corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and/or its members, shareholders and partners, involving various types of disputes, including contract matters, trade secrets, intellectual property (trademarks, copyrights and trade dress) negligence and fraud, employment, real estate, license agreements, the apparel and garment industry, and general business matters.
Crystal Jonelis is Senior Counsel in the Firm’s Business Litigation Practice. Crystal is well-versed in all aspects of business and commercial litigation, having overseen numerous cases from inception to winning verdicts (and even the subsequent winning appeals). However, her primary focus is in the area of entertainment and media litigation, with particular emphasis in the anti-SLAPP arena.
Daniel Rozansky is a Partner of the Firm in the Business Litigation Practice. Dan concentrates his practice on entertainment, privacy, First Amendment and complex business and real estate disputes. Dan’s areas of focus are entertainment finance, anti-SLAPP motions, unfair competition, trade secrets, intellectual property, surreptitious tape recording, reality television, profit participation, rights of privacy and publicity, real estate, partnership disputes and First Amendment issues. He represents clients both at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal court on a wide array of issues.
Michael Sherman is an accomplished trial lawyer in high-stakes, “bet-the-company” litigation, and has represented both large and early-stage companies as well as entrepreneurs in all facets of business and complex commercial litigation. He has evenly split his litigation practice on both the plaintiff and defense side of cases, has first-chaired numerous trials in complex matters in industries as varied as energy, securities, healthcare, environmental, consumer products, technology, project development/finance, advertising, real estate and apparel, and is highly skilled in class actions and unfair competition law.
The official Super Lawyers 2020 publication can be read in its entirety here.
For more information about Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, contact Heidi Hubbeling at or (310) 746-9803.
Making payroll is one of the most stressful issues on every business owner’s mind, and thankfully, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) section of the CARES Act provides significant aid to provide some financial relief. The final PPP loan application is now available here.
Who Can Apply? According to the Dept of Treasury’s Information Sheet, all businesses with 500 or fewer employees can apply. Businesses in certain industries can have more than 500 employees if they meet applicable SBA employee-based size standards. Business types that qualify for PPP loans include independent contractors, LLCs, S corporations, C corporations, sole proprietorships, as well as other types of businesses including certain nonprofits, veterans’ organizations, and tribal business concerns. Businesses who have received Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) through the SBA between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 are not prohibited from obtaining a PPP loan so long as the EIDL was executed for purposes other than the permitted uses of a PPP (see below for discussion of PPP permitted uses).
The SBA’s affiliation standards have been waived for this Program for companies that are (a) in the hotel or food services industries; (b) franchises in the SBA's Franchise Directory; and (c) receiving financial assistance from small-business investment companies licensed by the SBA. The affiliation standards have been the source of much confusion in the venture-backed startup community; and we explore those considerations in more detail here and will be monitoring for expected new guidance in that area and updating as that becomes available.
What Do I Need to Do to Apply? A business owner must apply through an approved SBA 7(a) Lender, or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Applications are open as of April 3, 2020 for small businesses and sole proprietors. Independent contractors can begin the application process as of April 10, 2020. All applications must be submitted to an approved lender by June 30, 2020.
Applicants will need to certify that the business is suffering from economic hardship due to the current COVID-19. In addition to the certification in good faith that the funds will be used to maintain payroll and make mortgage, lease or utility payments, the applicant will need to provide:
How Much Can You Apply For? The amount of the loan is for up to 2.5 times a business’s average monthly payroll costs from the last year plus any outstanding amounts owed on an EIDL executed between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020, if any, and less any emergency advance amounts obtained through the EIDL program, if any. Note, this amount cannot exceed $10 million. If you are a seasonal or new business, you will use different applicable time periods for your calculation. Individual employee payroll costs are capped at $100,000 annualized, so anything above that is not considered for determining average payroll costs.
What Are the Permitted Uses of a PPP? A PPP loan can be used for “payroll costs” and other specific operating expenses.
Payroll costs include salary, wages, commissions, payment of vacation, sick, parental/family/medical leave, payment of retirement contributions, group health coverage premiums and state and local taxes assessed on payroll. Payroll costs do not include Federal Payroll Tax, compensation paid to employees in excess of $100,000, or compensation paid to employees outside the U.S.
In addition to payroll costs, PPP loans can be used to cover interest on mortgage obligations, rent, and utilities that were in use before February 15, 2020, and interest on other debt obligations incurred before February 15, 2020.
Loan Terms. PPP loans will be executed at an interest rate of 1% with a maturity date of two years.
When Do I Have to Pay it Back? A business’s loan repayment term is two years, with the first 6 months of payments deferred with interest accruing during deferment. There is no pre-payment penalty if paid back within that two-year period.
Is the Loan Forgivable? A business owner is eligible for loan forgiveness for the amounts they spend over the eight weeks after receiving the loan disbursement on the qualifying expenses named above (aside from interest on debt obligations incurred before February 15, 2020), provided that at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll costs.
If the number of full-time employees is reduced over the eight weeks or if the salary or wages of employees who earned $100,000 or less in 2019 are reduced by 25% or more, then the amount of the loan eligible for forgiveness will be reduced. However, depending on the timing of any such workforce or salary/wage reductions, reduced loan forgiveness can be avoided if the reductions are undone by June 30, 2020.
The lending bank will determine a business’s eligibility for loan forgiveness based on the criteria mentioned and has 60 days to render a decision.
Can I Still Qualify if I Already Have an SBA Loan? A business owner can have more than one SBA loan as long as the total combined amount of the loans does not exceed the maximum amount set by the SBA, and in the case of EIDL and PPP loans, a borrower cannot take out both types of loans unless they are for different purposes. EIDL loans executed before a PPP loan can be rolled into a PPP loan. In other words, the principal of an EIDL could later become part of a PPP loan, likely resulting in lower interest rates.
What are the similarities and differences between PPP loans and EIDL? Can I get both? As mentioned, you can receive both loans as long as the amount doesn’t exceed the maximum amount allowed by the SBA, and the proceeds are used for different things. EIDL can be used for payroll, paid sick leave, costs incurred due to supply chain disruption, rent or mortgage payments, and repayment of amounts owed that cannot be paid due to loss of revenue from a disaster’s (i.e. COVID-19) impact. Further, EIDL applicants can receive up to a $10,000 emergency advance, which does not have to be repaid even if the loan application is later denied but will reduce the principal of a PPP loan if such applicant subsequently executes one.
As addressed above, PPP can be used for payroll costs, group health care benefits, mortgage interest costs, rent, utilities and interest on debt incurred before February 15, 2020. Because the PPP is forgivable in certain cases, and forgiveness is tied to usage of the PPP loan on payroll specifically, borrowers should carefully evaluate which loan to use for which expenses where an expense is eligible to be paid by either type of loan. We have provided a useful flow chart, available at: PPE: EIDL Comparison Chart.
Authors:
Heidi Hubbeling
Garett Hill
Caroline Cherkassky
Greg Akselrud
For more information on PPP, EIDL and other SBA benefits, please contact us at
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles' client HouseCanary, a real estate technology company offering the most accurate home valuations, has announced that it has raised $65 million in a Series C funding round with help from a group founded by billionaire and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Including this Series C round, HouseCanary has raised a total of $130 million in funding.
To read the full article visit Law 360.
Stubbs Alderton attorneys representing in this transaction were Greg Akselrud and Caroline Cherkassky.
About HouseCanary
Founded in 2014, their mission is to help people make better real estate decisions. Built on a foundation of great data, powerful models and predictive analytics, the HouseCanary platform aggregates millions of data elements, including more than four decades of property data and a rapidly expanding arsenal of proprietary data calculations and analytics, to accurately define and forecast values and market influences. The company is headquartered in San Francisco. www.housecanary.com
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg Akselrud at
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ client, OS National, a premier nationwide title insurance agency, announced this week that it has been acquired by Opendoor, which makes instant online offers to buy homes. The purchase allows Opendoor to integrate title, escrow and closings into its online buying and selling experience.
To read the full press release visit here.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles attorneys representing OS National in this matter were Greg Akselrud, Louis Wharton, Michael Shaff, Madeleine Barenholtz and Brent Armitage.
About OS National
OS National is building the premier nationwide title insurance agency. Founded on a deeply rooted passion to better serve their customers and their evolving needs, they are approaching title insurance differently – with the customer first. Keeping this at the forefront, they are able to define what OS National is, what they stand for, and how they will interact with you. And, it is simple. They are not your typical title company. OS National is redefining title services. Visit https://osnational.com.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media and Entertainment Practice contact Greg Akselrud at
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles client Mythical Entertainment has acquired Youtube comedy channel, Smosh, bringing together two long-running Youtube channels. Through the deal, Mythical has expanded its business to over 70 million subscribers and 250 million monthly views across 14 YouTube channels. Ron Bender's firm assisted alongside Stubbs Alderton in the deal.
To read the full article on Variety visit here.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles attorneys representing Mythical Entertainment in this deal were Greg Akselrud and Kelly Laffey.
About Mythical Entertainment
Mythical is an entertainment company, lifestyle brand, and creative collective made up of passionate people brought together by their love of comedy, camaraderie, and the do-it-yourself, direct-to-fan approach to content. Its thousands of popular videos have been viewed over 5 billion times across the Internet. Mythical was founded by the comedic duo and life-long best friends Rhett & Link, who lead the company in every endeavor.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice area contact Greg Akselrud at
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ client New Form, a highly acclaimed digital entertainment studio whose owners included Discovery, ITV, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, has been acquired by Whistle, a sports and entertainment internet media company. The value of the deal was not disclosed.
To read the full article on Variety visit here.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ attorneys representing New Form in this deal are Greg Akselrud, Jonathan Friedman, and Michael Shaff.
ABOUT NEW FORM
New Form is an entertainment studio redefining the way stories are developed, packaged and distributed by producing original narratives that transcend formats and platforms. New Form creates premium video content that resonates with young audiences using data-driven insights to influence its content strategy. For more information visit www.newform.com
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice area contact Greg Akselrud at
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Stubbs Alderton & Markiles client Influential, an AI social data and activation technology company, announced Thursday that it has raised $12 million in a Series B financing round. With the fresh capital, the company plans to take their A.I. platform, designed to match brands with influencers who have relevant followings, to market. The funding came from existing investors Capital Zed, ECA Ventures, Paradigm Talent Agency, ROAR and Tech Coast Angels, as well as from Hollywood agency WME .
To read the full article visit here.
Stubbs Alderton attorney representing Influential in this deal is Greg Akselrud.
About Influential
Influential is an A.I. influencer technology and developer partner of IBM Watson. Influential’s patent-pending app is on the hip pocket of more than 25,000 of the most highly engaged influencers on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube, reaching over 5 billion users. Brands and agencies are able to make a digital media buy on social via Influential’s in-demo impression guarantee, which mirrors traditional or digital media spends. Influential conducts all campaigns through a brand-safe vetting process and provides robust recaps via 3rd party analytics partners. Influential and IBM Watson have also co-created technologies that allow brands and agencies to identify psychographic data on influencers, as well as three first-to-market A.I. products. Influential runs campaigns for Fortune 100 companies including Coca-Cola Company, Nestlé, General Mills, Kia Motors, Fox TV, Sony Pictures and more. Influential has offices in Beverly Hills, New York City, and Las Vegas.
For more information about the Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg Akselrud at [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Today marks the launch of Peter Csathy's new book, "Media 2.0(18): An Insiders Guide to Today's Digital Media World & Where It's Going." Stubbs Alderton & Markiles' Partner Greg Akselrud authored Chapter 24 of the book on Investments and Mergers & Acquisitions. Media 2.0 has received excellent reviews from Variety, Forbes and several other major publications.
Purchase your copy here.
About Media 2.0(18)
Media 2.0 (18) is renowned media/tech expert Peter Csathy’s critically-acclaimed new book that takes you on a journey of how technology has transformed the worlds of media and entertainment — including Internet-driven OTT video, streaming music, virtual reality, augmented reality, and eSports. Csathy identifies today’s leading players and innovators in Media 2.0, analyzes their strengths and risks, and names his “Fearless Five” companies that made the boldest moves in 2017. Csathy also lays out his “Top 10” predictions for digital media in 2018 and beyond — and identifies concrete strategies and actions that readers can take to thrive amidst these new disruptive market forces.
Greg Akselrud is a founder and partner of the Firm and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He chair’s the Firm’s Internet, Digital Media and Entertainment Practice Group. Greg advises a wide range of public and private clients across a number of industries, including companies in the entertainment, digital media, Internet, technology, consumer electronics, and apparel industries. Greg is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, teaching Business Planning I: Financing the Start-Up Business and Venture Capital Financing. Greg is the author of Hit Man: The Fourth Circuit’s Mistake in Rice v. Paladin Enters., Inc., 19 Loy. L.A. Ent. L.J. 375 (1999).
[vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/1" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][vc_column_text]Stubbs Alderton & Markiles represented lead investor The VR Fund in Torch 3D's investment round. Torch 3D has raised $3.5M to build out an augmented and virtual reality prototyping platform meant to help designers to develop and design in 3D with no prior knowledge of game or software development.
Additional investors include Seven Peaks Ventures, GVR Fund, Presence Capital, Antipodean Ventures, Jerome Capital, and TWB Investment Partnership.
The VR Fund brings expert guidance and resources to promising and early stage VR, AR and MR startups. The VR Fund seeks innovative companies across a wide variety of sectors – from infrastructure and development tools to content and applications. They are eager to help entrepreneurs bring industry-defining technology to market faster, and to positively impact their growth path by providing the capital, insights and strategic relationships needed at this critical time.
To read the full article click here.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP attorney representing The Venture Reality Fund in the transaction was Greg Akselrud.
Greg Akselrud is a founder and partner of the Firm and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He chair’s the Firm’s Internet, Digital Media and Entertainment Practice Group. Greg advises a wide range of public and private clients across a number of industries, including companies in the entertainment, digital media, Internet, technology, consumer electronics and apparel industries.
To learn more about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment Practice, contact Greg Akselrud at [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
SAM client HouseCanary, the leading data analytics and valuation platform for real estate professionals, announced it has closed a $31 million series B funding round, bringing the company’s total funding to $64 million to date. Investors in the round include PSP Growth, the venture and growth equity arm of PSP Capital, a private investment firm founded by entrepreneur and former Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, as well as Alpha Edison and other existing investors.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP attorneys representing HouseCanary in the transaction were Greg Akselrud and Adam Bagley.
To read the full press release on the financing, click here.
About HouseCanary
Founded in 2014, HouseCanary's mission is to help people make better real estate decisions. Built on a foundation of great data, powerful models and predictive analytics, the HouseCanary platform aggregates millions of data elements, including more than four decades of property data and a rapidly expanding arsenal of proprietary data calculations and analytics, to accurately define and forecast values and market influences. HouseCanary's Series A investors include Hillspire (Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt's family office), Alpha Edison, ECA Ventures, Raven Ventures and other top investors including Egon Durban and Nikesh Arora. The company is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.housecanary.com.
About Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is a business law firm with robust corporate, public securities, mergers and acquisitions, entertainment, intellectual property, brand protection and business litigation practice groups focusing on the representation of, among others, venture backed emerging growth companies, middle market public companies, large technology companies, entertainment and digital media companies, investors, venture capital funds, investment bankers and underwriters. Stubbs Alderton’s clients represent the full spectrum of Southern California business with a concentration in the technology, entertainment, videogame, apparel and medical device sectors. Our mission is to provide technically excellent legal services in a consistent, highly-responsive and service-oriented manner with an entrepreneurial and practical business perspective. These principles are the hallmarks of our Firm. For more information, visit www.stubbsalderton.com
Peter Csathy to join Board of Directors of Preccelerator®, lead its investment strategy, and oversee anticipated investments
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles and CREATV Media Announce Strategic Alliance to Provide Comprehensive Service Offering to Digital Media and Technology Companies
SANTA MONICA, CA – JANUARY 24, 2017 – Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP, a leading Southern California business, technology and digital media law firm, today announced that it will expand its successful early stage accelerator, the Preccelerator®, to accept a larger group of digital media and technology companies, significantly expand benefits to incoming startups, and look to make strategic investments in these companies and others. Peter Csathy, Chairman of CREATV Media, a leading digital media strategic advisory and business development firm, will join the Board of Directors of the Preccelerator to lead its investment strategy and oversee anticipated investments.
“By partnering with Peter, we will grow the firm’s industry leading Preccelerator® into a full-service platform that not only mentors young companies, but also provides smart venture capital and paths to strategic business development and consulting via CREATV Media,” said Scott Alderton, Chairman of the Preccelerator and Managing Partner of Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP. “While the Preccelerator has seen a lot of success, we want to continue to foster the growth of our early stage companies. By adding more companies, formalizing our class structure, expanding benefits and providing initial seed capital, we will give them a greater shot at success. With Peter’s vast experience and industry leadership, he will lead the investment strategy for these companies.”
To date, the Preccelerator Program has graduated five classes with the majority of the twenty-two companies being accepted into larger accelerator programs and incubators or successfully raising their seed funding round. Stubbs Alderton & Markiles launched the first-of-its kind program to provide select start-ups with co-working space, education, networking, mentorship and sophisticated legal services, with the objective of helping grow a founder’s idea from business concept to a funded company. To apply to the Preccelerator, visit www.preccelerator.com/application.
“Stubbs Alderton’s reputation, entrepreneurial approach and shared vision in growing today’s digital media and technology market, what I call “Media 2.0”, is one of the many reasons we made this happen,” said Peter Csathy, Chairman of CREATV Media. “We deeply believe the growing convergence of content and technology is a worldwide addressable market that requires leading business and legal advisors who think “outside the box”, are deeply connected, move at entrepreneurial speed, and provide access to respected thought leaders and ultimately to smart capital. We aim to bring all of this to our collective client base, and to build CREATV Media and the Preccelerator as launchpad platforms for the world’s next digital media and technology stars.”
The partnership will also look to expand the overall service offering to clients – making available CREATV Media’s deep network of relationships and suite of business development and strategic advisory services and Stubbs Alderton’s deeply-rooted and expanding scope of legal services, led by Greg Akselrud, Chairman of the firm’s Internet, Digital Media and Entertainment practice, and Scott Alderton, Chairman of the Firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Growth practice.
Stubbs Alderton also announced that Greg Akselrud would join the Board of Directors of the Preccelerator, that Louis Wharton, a law firm partner and current Director of the Preccelerator, would be appointed to President of the Preccelerator, and that Heidi Hubbeling, the law firm’s Director of Marketing and current Director of Operations for the Preccelerator, would be appointed to Chief Operating Officer of the Preccelerator.
About Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is a Southern California based business law firm with robust corporate, public securities, mergers and acquisitions, entertainment, intellectual property, brand protection and business litigation practice groups focusing on the representation of, among others, venture backed emerging growth companies, middle market public companies, large technology companies, entertainment and digital media companies, investors, venture capital funds, investment bankers and underwriters. The firm’s clients represent a broad range of industries with a concentration in the technology, entertainment, videogame, apparel and medical device sectors. The firm’s mission is to provide technically excellent legal services in a consistent, highly-responsive and service-oriented manner with an entrepreneurial and practical business perspective. These principles are the hallmarks of the firm. For more information, visit https://stubbsalderton.com.
About the Preccelerator® Program
The Preccelerator® is a novel platform offered to select start-up companies out of the Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP Santa Monica office that provides interim office space, sophisticated legal services, education, networking, mentorship and $250,000 in usable perks from Google Cloud for Startups, Amazon Web Services, and HubSpot among others, with the objective of helping grow a founder’s idea from business concept to funded startup. The program also retains more than 50 active strategic mentors providing free office hours and discounted services, and provides over 50+ educational workshops and networking events each year. The expanded program will accept a greater number of companies in more formalized classes, depending upon where the companies are in their evolutionary growth, expand benefits to accepted companies, and will look to make strategic investments backed by strategic angel investors. To apply to the Preccelerator, visit www.preccelerator.com/application.
About CREATV Media
CREATV Media is a leading digital media and technology focused advisory, consulting and business development firm with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York City, Austin and Germany. The firm’s clients span the digital media and tech ecosystems – from the most innovative startups, to the most storied media companies and brands. The firm uses proven, proprietary methodologies – together with exclusive insights, access and market intelligence – to accelerate Media 2.0-related opportunities and transformational growth. The firm also frequently works with buyers and sellers to maximize M&A – positioning them to achieve the best possible outcomes, identifying potential targets and connecting them to key decision-makers, helping to structure and diligence potential transactions, and advising them every step of the way both pre and post transaction. The firm also organizes, programs and leads customized workshops, live events, pilot programs and start-up innovation labs and demo days. The firm’s ethos of fearless innovation is best summed up by its slogan “Media. Unboxed.” For more information, visit CREATV Media.
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Contact:
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP
Heidi Hubbeling
(310) 746-9803
CREATV Media
Andrea Nunn
(323) 363-9932
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ client Laugh Radio, creators of Laugh.ly a stand up comedy streaming service, announced this month that it has raised $2.25 million in their Series Seed financing round. Laugh.ly had previously raised funds through a SAFE note (the less complicated replacement for a convertible note.) The note included $750,000 from the founders, and $1.5 million from investors. Investors included New York Angels, Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran, the Wharton Alumni Angel Network, Social+Capital, Backstage Capital, Treehouse Capital, Accelerator Ventures and Atlas Holdings. Congratulations Laugh Radio on this success !
To read the full press release click here.
Stubbs Alderton attorney representing Laugh Radio in this transaction was Greg Akselrud.
About Laugh Radio
Laugh Radio is changing the way people experience stand up comedy. Their mobile app, Laugh.ly, launched in August 2016 and it will allow big and small name comedians to grow and monetize their fan base. The company has lined up more than 400 comedians whose content will stream on its app, and a total of 20,000 individual tracks. Described as something of a Pandora for comedy, the app can create personalized “radio” stations of comedy, in addition to offering on-demand listening. To check out the app and download Laugh.ly click here.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, contact Greg Akselrud at .
SAM Client and Digital-video studio New Form announced this week that it has raised $18 million in second-round funding from the U.K.’s ITV and Discovery Communications, with ITV taking a minority stake in the company. In addition, with its investment ITV entered into a strategic partnership with New Form, which includes a multiyear commercial agreement that will bring New Form content to the ITV Hub starting in 2017. Congratulations to New Form on this success!
Stubbs Alderton attorneys representing New Form in this transaction were Greg Akselrud and Kelly Laffey.
To read the full feature in Variety Magazine, click here.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment Practice, contact Greg Akselrud at or (818) 444-4503.
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles client Rdio, a digital music service, and Grupo Bandeirantes, a Brazilian media conglomerate, have announced a joint venture and powerful strategic partnership encompassing marketing, distribution, content and promotions that will significantly expand Rdio's presence in Brazil. This combination of the award-winning Rdio music service with the creativity, power and reach of Grupo Bandeirantes provides music fans in Brazil with the best of both a global and Brazilian digital music service and experience.
Under this deal, Grupo Bandeirantes' various properties will expand their digital music presence using the Rdio platform, and will develop content promotions that cross from on-air radio to streaming. The alliance will also involve media support for Rdio from Metro Newspapers, through an on-going integration with Band.com.br, media placement in out-of-home properties and across Grupo affiliated TV programs.
To read the full press release, click here.
For more information about our Internet, Digital Media & Entertainment practice, please contact Greg Akselrud at (818) 444-4503 or