InMobi's Glance invests in Collective Artists Network
Both companies expect to monetise the creator economy through live content and entertainment-led commerce on the Glance and Roposo platforms.
, the consumer internet company, has made an investment in Collective Artists Network, an Indian talent management network and pop culture marketplace.
According to a statement, the collaboration is expected to give Glance strategic access to India’s top creators and celebrities, while providing disruptive and sustainable monetisation opportunities for the country’s entertainment talent.
As a result of this investment, Glance is already in advanced discussions for partnerships with some of these celebrities and creators. These partnerships are expected to help power live content on Glance's lock screen, and drive entertainment-led commerce on Roposo.
On the investment, Piyush Shah, Co-founder, InMobi Group, and President and COO of Glance, said, “Creator-led live content and commerce is the future of entertainment and ecommerce, and we intend to be at the forefront of this evolution. This strategic investment in Collective Artists Network is a step in that direction, and allows us to forge meaningful, long-term synergies within the creator ecosystem.”
Glance, a lockscreen content discovery platform for Android smartphones, has over 150 million active users in India, and an estimated 25 million in Southeast Asia. It recently also launched Glance LIVE, a streaming service for real-time content on lock screen.
Roposo, on the other hand, is an entertainment-led shopping platform, with over 30 million active users.
Collective Artists Network has grown to become a leading marketplace in India for pop culture, as well as one of its biggest, multifaceted talent management powerhouses and pop-culture brand advisories. Within India, it manages the largest roster of celebrities and houses more than 8,500 influencers and creators via its platform Big Bang Social, including top actors and pop culture icons.
"With the worlds of content and commerce merging, celebrities and creators are increasingly looking at newer avenues of growth and want to partner with platforms that not only have scale, but also provide great economic opportunities. Glance and Collective are committed to building a sustainable economy for creators, wherein they can become partners and entrepreneurs,” said Vijay Subramaniam, Group CEO and Founder of Collective Artists Network.
Edited by Kanishk Singh