UPshow takes social media to the big screen. On Monday, the Chicago company highlighted an announcement of its own.
The interactive signage startup just announced it raised $14 million in funding, as first reported by Crunchbase. CEO Adam Hirsen said UPshow plans to invest the funds in product development, as well as a hiring spree to keep up with the record growth it’s experiencing post-COVID-19. The company is on track to grow its revenue 95 percent year over year.
“Sure, brands’ doors were closed for a little bit, but now it’s like, ‘Never underestimate the power of the retail consumer,’” Hirsen told Built In.
Founded in 2015, UPshow offers a Chromebox media player that restaurants, bars and fitness studios can plug into their TV screens to display custom content. The startup’s platform allows customers like Buffalo Wild Wings, ATI Physical Therapy and the Grand Ole Opry to display marketing promotions, trivia games and customers’ social media posts in-store. By connecting brands’ digital presence with their physical space, UPshow claims it inspires customers to take valuable actions like downloading a store’s app, posting a Google review or signing up for a physical therapy procedure.
“Brands have spent a lot of money on online marketing and media,” Hirsen said. “Now their attention is really the last mile, the last frontier, what happens when that customer gets off their couch and crosses through the threshold of my front door?”
As retail establishments begin to re-open post-COVID, Hirsen said contactless digital engagement has become a must-have for businesses. A record number of enterprise customers have signed on to deploy UPshow, he said, with restaurants, bars and stores displaying information about their cleanliness protocols, mask restrictions, information on how to place a contactless order and more.
Going forward, the company plans to build out its entertainment library and, by early next year, aims to be able to stream e-sports tournaments and pay-per-view events, integrate sports betting tools and develop deals with gaming leagues to display their content. Hirsen said the startup also aims to make it easier for its business customers to create, schedule and track ad campaigns within UPshow.
“It’s all about helping these brands digitize the new offline environment,” Hirsen said. “It’s like the last frontier of a brand that they're able to digitize.”
The 43-person company plans to invest the funds in additional sales, marketing and software engineering professionals. The startup aims to grow to 70 people by the end of 2021.
The Series A round brings total investment in UPshow to $17 million. 4490 Ventures led the round, with participation from Jump Capital, TDF Ventures and the Signature Venture Banking Group.
