It's Official: UPshow Announces $1.5 Million Angel Round Led By Influential Investors

We're excited to share the news of our latest round of funding and with the press release going live today, we wanted to share here as well.

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UPshow the leading in-venue social media display network in the United States, announced today that it has closed its strategic angel investment round, bringing total funding to $1.5 million. Participants in the round include prominent CEO's and executives like comScore CEO Gian Fulgoni, Fieldglass Founder Jai Shekhawat, Edgewater Funds Managing Director Dave Tolmie, eHealth CEO Scott Flanders, and 1871 CEO Howard Tullman.

With over 3,200 screens in restaurants, sports bars, entertainment venues and leading family attractions, UPshow allows patrons to showcase their social media posts instantly on TVs within a venue. This gives the business a vastly increased social media presence by maximizing customer-generated posts, while also serving as an easy-to-use digital signage platform to feature new products, promotions, events, trivia and interactive games.

Howard Tullman, CEO of Chicago's technology mega-incubator, 1871, knows consumer social behavior intimately because he lives it every day. 1871 has more than 20,000 hyper-connected visitors a month and has deployed UPshow within its space. "What makes UPshow special is how the technology enhances and facilitates every active consumer's natural desire to be seen by more people through the vehicle of social media without requiring them to learn or adopt any new behaviors. Businesses using UPshow will rapidly see that their brand will be more broadly shared and amplified on social media which should drive both increased onsite engagement and more customer traffic in the door in the long run," said Tullman.

Since launching in the Summer of 2015, UPshow has experienced continual growth in new customers, while expanding its install base from local businesses like Fatpour Taphouse in Chicago and Crossfit Solace in New York; to national brands like Margaritaville, iFly, Blackfinn Ameripub and Tilted Kilt.

"The way that UPshow plugs into existing screens in venues, and grabs consumers’ attention with social media and brand content is unique and powerful. UPshow has a compelling opportunity to engage consumers on behalf of businesses because it can communicate with consumers at the point of purchase," said Gian Fulgoni, CEO of comScore. comScore is a leading company measuring consumer trends on the Internet and social media.

UPshow’s platform also builds a robust Social Media CRM for its customers, dynamically identifying a brand's most influential customers and providing re-marketing tools to drive additional purchase or repeat visits.

Adam Hirsen, CEO of UPshow, was previously in residence with Sterling Partners, a Chicago based private equity and venture capital firm, that focuses intensely on building a network of highly talented board members and advisors for each company.

"We have taken a page from the playbook I learned at Sterling Partners, by surrounding ourselves with exceptional C-suite angel investors, all who are highly accomplished business leaders that will add incredible strategic value to the company. We feel blessed to have help and advice from people that have all built large businesses many times over."

UPShow is using the capital to grow its team, accelerate product development and expand sales into new markets.