BGF, the UK and Ireland’s most active growth capital investor, has announced a “significant” investment in Manchester social media brand Komi Group.
Komi, which employs a team of more than 80, says it will use the cash as a “catalyst for ongoing investment” as the business continues to build on its existing digital publishing portfolio. The portfolio includes social channels such as It’s Gone Viral and Happiest, and boasts a community of over 40 million followers across 12 brands, generating over 2 billion views per month.
Komi was founded in 2015 and is led by founder and CEO Andrew Trotman and MD Sam Lenehan and partners with household names such as TikTok, Disney, DPD, AO.com, Wejo and content creator Arron Crascall, working with content creators, brands, media agencies and production houses to drive social media strategies that deliver against a business’ objectives. In addition, it licences expertly curated content utilised by the world’s biggest media outlets and supporting influencers’ content generation.
Following the deal, KOMI Group’s original co-founders Ryan Williams and Matthew Thomas will be stepping away to utilise their time on other pursuits.
KOMI CEO Trotman, said: “The business has experienced huge progress and considerable growth over the past few years, and we believe we have a significant opportunity to scale by working with more brands and individuals who could benefit from our creativity and reach. To do that, it’s crucial that we continue to invest in our people and emerging platforms, so we retain the innovative approach and commercial results KOMI is known for.
“It is also sad to say farewell to my fellow co-founders, Ryan and Matt. We understand their decision to step away and thank them for their hard work and commitment to KOMI’s growth over the last seven years. We would not be where we are today if not for them, and I am excited to see where their future endeavours take them.”
Although details of the investment have not been disclosed, BGF’s website states that it “typically” invests £1-20m in new prospects initially, with “siginificant” follow on funding available as required.
