Catch&Release Secures $14 Million in Series A Funding

Analisa Goodin, founder and CEO of Catch&Release, articulated her ambition to empower brands to move beyond the constraints of traditional stock photography. To facilitate this, her company has successfully raised $14 million in Series A funding.

From Research Firm to Venture-Backed Startup

Goodin detailed the company’s evolution, beginning as an image research service before transitioning into a product-driven, venture-supported startup in 2015. This Series A round was spearheaded by Accel, with contributions from Cervin Ventures and existing investors, bringing the total funding secured by Catch&Release to $26 million.

Adapting to the Changing Media Landscape

The trend towards incorporating user-generated content (UGC) is also being adopted by established stock media and video platforms. Goodin acknowledged and welcomed this development, noting that Catch&Release integrates seamlessly with these existing stock marketplaces. However, she also conveyed a broader, more ambitious vision for her company.

“Our focus extends beyond UGC; we aim to unlock the vast creative potential present across the internet,” she stated.

Addressing the Challenges of Online Content Licensing

While a wealth of content is readily available online, advertising agencies and brands have often been hesitant to utilize it due to the complexities of securing proper licensing. The process of determining usage rights has historically been considered “too hard.” (This concern is exemplified by the use of a stock photo for the featured image in this article.)

How Catch&Release Simplifies Content Acquisition

Catch&Release is designed to streamline this process. It begins with a browser extension that enables marketers to save any media encountered online, anticipating potential use in future campaigns – the “catch” component.

The platform also provides a “licensability score,” a rating based on factors such as the content creator, accompanying descriptions, and comments, to assess the likelihood of successful licensing.

Facilitating Licensing Requests and Content Clearance

When a brand or agency decides to utilize a piece of content, a licensing request can be submitted with a single click – the “release” phase. Catch&Release further analyzes the content to identify any elements requiring clearance or obscuration, such as visible company logos.

Beyond Social Media: Redefining UGC

Goodin emphasized that Catch&Release’s capabilities extend beyond sourcing images for social media. The company aims to dismantle the “stigma” surrounding UGC, recognizing its role as encompassing “the entire spectrum of culturally relevant content.”

As an example, she highlighted a Red Lobster commercial constructed entirely from online footage, a strategy proving particularly valuable given pandemic-related safety concerns surrounding traditional film shoots. (The platform has also been utilized to license content for advertising campaigns by TechCrunch’s parent company, Verizon.)

Future Investment and Expansion

The newly acquired funding will be allocated to continued investment in product development, engineering, and marketing initiatives.

Building the Commercial Licensing Layer for the Web

“Currently, there isn’t a defined standard for commercial licensing on the web,” Goodin explained. “We are excited to develop this layer for the internet, encompassing not only photos and videos, but also written content, artwork, graphics, and ultimately establishing a comprehensive commercial licensing engine for the web.”