Newcastle-based Screenreach has secured $2m in funding as it seeks to roll out its live sports streaming and advertising platform globally.
Smart TV app, Screach, has been specifically made for hospitality venues and is now available in 157 countries. It enables users to have an instant, hardware-free way to stream sports content, while also earning advertising revenue.
The funding round included investment by a number of high net-worth individuals and Hotspur Capital.
“The streaming revolution has left few corners of the consumer market untouched – with millions of people around the world embracing the ease and abundance of content available on countless new streaming services,” explained Robert Rawlinson, CEO of Screenreach.
“Understandably, during lockdown the focus of broadcasters and rights holders has been on getting content into people’s homes. But as commercial venues reopen, the Screach platform offers a frictionless way for sports rights owners to extend their reach into the globally underserved enterprise market.
“Our intention has always been to help content rights holders and advertisers to monetise the enterprise space, by offering venues a business tool that helps them drive footfall and revenues.”
Rawlinson stated that they were now in “advanced discussions with a string of international broadcasters and top tier sport rights holders.” He added that they intended to announce a number of “exciting partnerships” in the next few months.
The Screach platform aggregates all live sports content available in the user’s home country into a single place. Venues such as bars, cafes, hotels and gyms access the content via the Screach smart TV app.
Once downloaded, it offers the venue a free marketing and advertising channel that includes programmable digital signage and revenue-generating third party adverts.
