Stringr

Stringr is an American media-technology company that operates a digital marketplace for video assignments, footage collection, and related production services. Its platform connects news organizations and other media customers with freelance videographers, commonly called stringers, who can capture local events and deliver footage to clients. The model is designed to help media organizations obtain timely visual coverage without maintaining a large permanent field-production network. The company was founded in November 2013 by Wharton graduates Lindsay Stewart and Brian McNeill. Stringr was developed through Matter, a San Francisco-based startup accelerator focused on media and communications ventures. The company initially built its service around a mobile application and launched in San Diego before expanding to additional U.S. markets. By March 2015, the platform was operating in 10 markets, and by July 2016 it was available in approximately 200 U.S. markets. Stringr’s marketplace proposition combines distributed video collection with digital assignment management. Media customers can request footage from local contributors, while freelance videographers can receive assignments and submit material through the platform. This approach is particularly relevant for breaking news, weather, community events, and other subjects where speed and geographic reach matter. The company has worked with prominent media organizations, including The Washington Post and the Associated Press, and later expanded its relationships through integrations and partnerships with larger news and media-technology businesses. Stringr raised outside capital at several stages of its development. In September 2014, it had raised $550,000 from angel investors. A December 2015 funding round led by Matter, Signia Ventures, and Founder.org raised $1.5 million. In October 2018, the company closed a further $1 million round involving the Associated Press, McClatchy, Advection Growth Capital, and G5 Capital; contemporary reporting stated that cumulative funding had reached $4.6 million. Stringr subsequently raised $5.75 million in May 2020 from Thomson Reuters, G5 Capital, and Advection Growth Capital, bringing the reported cumulative total to $7.25 million. These figures are historical financing disclosures rather than current valuation or revenue information. The company broadened its service capabilities in 2019. It added live-streaming functionality in April, launched in the United Kingdom in May, and integrated with TVU Networks in June to support live coverage workflows. In August 2019, Stringr partnered with Reuters so that Reuters Connect customers could access video from Stringr’s contributor network and related editing services. Stringr also developed WeatherGen, described as an on-demand, AI-powered weather-forecast video generator. WeatherGen extends the company beyond marketplace-based footage collection into automated production of weather-related video content. Available reference material does not establish Stringr’s present ownership, financial condition, executive roster, or operating status. The company’s latest clearly documented developments include its 2020 financing and its expansion into automated weather-video production.

Stringr was established in November 2013 by Lindsay Stewart and Brian McNeill, Wharton graduates who developed the company through Matter, a San Francisco-based accelerator for media ventures. The founders pursued a marketplace model intended to make local video coverage easier for media organizations to commission and receive. Rather than relying only on staff crews, customers could use a network of freelance videographers, or stringers, to collect footage in different locations. The company’s initial product was a mobile application launched in San Diego. Its early geographic expansion was rapid: by March 2015, Stringr reported availability in 10 markets. In September 2014, the company had raised $550,000 from angel investors, giving it capital to develop the platform and expand its contributor and customer network. In December 2015, Stringr raised another $1.5 million in a round led by Matter, Signia Ventures, and Founder.org. By July 2016, Stringr’s service was available in about 200 U.S. markets. Its customer and media relationships included The Washington Post and the Associated Press. The expansion reflected the value of a distributed video network for breaking news and other location-dependent assignments, where a local contributor can often respond more quickly than a distant production crew. Stringr continued to seek institutional support and media-industry partnerships. In October 2018, it closed a $1 million funding round involving the Associated Press, McClatchy, Advection Growth Capital, and G5 Capital. Reporting at the time placed the company’s cumulative funding at $4.6 million. The financing was associated with the continued development of Stringr’s marketplace and its services for professional media customers. In 2019, the company expanded beyond basic assignment and footage delivery. It introduced a live-streaming feature in April, launched in the United Kingdom in May, and integrated with TVU Networks in June to support live coverage. In August, Stringr partnered with Reuters. Through the Reuters integration, Reuters Connect customers could draw on Stringr’s video collection and editing capabilities, giving the international news organization access to a broader contributor-based source of footage. Stringr’s later product direction also included WeatherGen, an on-demand artificial-intelligence weather-forecast video generator. The product is described as transforming the production of weather reports by automating the creation of weather-related video content. This development indicates an expansion from a two-sided marketplace for human-produced footage toward software-assisted and automated media production. In May 2020, Stringr raised a further $5.75 million from Thomson Reuters, G5 Capital, and Advection Growth Capital. The reported cumulative funding total reached $7.25 million. Publicly available reference material does not provide reliable information about later financing, revenue, ownership, current leadership, or whether the company remains active. Accordingly, its present status is recorded as unknown rather than assumed from its historical activity.

• 2020

  Additional $5.75 million financing

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Thomson Reuters, G5 Capital, and Advection Growth Capital provided $5.75 million in additional funding.

• 2019

  Live video, U.K. expansion, and Reuters integration

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Stringr launched live streaming, entered the United Kingdom, integrated with TVU Networks, and partnered with Reuters.

• 2018

  Further financing from media and investment partners

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Stringr closed a $1 million financing round led by the Associated Press, McClatchy, Advection Growth Capital, and G5 Capital.

• 2016

  Platform reaches 200 U.S. markets

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Stringr reported availability in approximately 200 U.S. markets and media relationships including The Washington Post and the Associated Press.

• 2015

  Mobile service expands beyond San Diego

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  The mobile application expanded to 10 markets by March, followed by a $1.5 million funding round in December.

• 2014

  Initial angel financing

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Stringr had raised $550,000 from angel investors by September.

• 2013

  Stringr is founded

  [1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Lindsay Stewart and Brian McNeill founded Stringr in November as a marketplace connecting media organizations with freelance videographers.

A distributed media-video infrastructure platform for news organizations and other media customers, combining freelance videographer coverage, footage access, live production, editing, and automated weather-video generation.

• Media video marketplace · 2013

  Stringr video marketplace

  Stringr’s core platform connects media organizations with freelance videographers who can accept assignments, capture local footage, and deliver material digitally. The marketplace is intended to provide geographic reach and faster access to video than a customer could obtain solely through permanent staff crews.

• Live video production · 2019

  Live streaming

  Introduced in 2019, Stringr’s live-streaming capability extended the service from recorded footage collection into real-time coverage. Its integration with TVU Networks was intended to support live-production and transmission workflows.

• Post-production services

  Video editing services

  Stringr provides or provided editing services alongside its footage network. The Reuters partnership specifically enabled Reuters Connect customers to access Stringr’s video collection and editing capabilities.

• AI-generated media

  WeatherGen

  WeatherGen is an on-demand, AI-powered weather-forecast video generator associated with Stringr. It is designed to automate the creation of weather-report videos, broadening Stringr’s offering from contributor-supplied footage toward software-generated media.

• 2020

  Additional growth financingOther

  Background

  Stringr continued developing its media marketplace and related production services.

  Action taken

  The company raised $5.75 million from Thomson Reuters, G5 Capital, and Advection Growth Capital.

  Aftermath

  Reported cumulative funding reached $7.25 million, but subsequent business developments are not established by the available sources.

  Cumulative reported funding. $1.5 million additional round in 2015 and $1 million round in 2018; cumulative total previously reported at $4.6 million → $7.25 million cumulative reported funding (May 2020)

  Source

• 2019

  Introduction of live-streaming capabilityProduct launch

  Background

  Stringr’s original marketplace focused primarily on collecting and delivering recorded video from freelance contributors.

  Action taken

  The company added a live-streaming feature and subsequently integrated with TVU Networks for live coverage.

  Aftermath

  The move expanded Stringr’s potential use cases from on-demand footage collection to real-time news and event coverage.

  Source

• 2019

  Expansion into the United KingdomStrategy

  Background

  Stringr had established a contributor-based video marketplace in the United States.

  Action taken

  The company launched its service in the United Kingdom.

  Aftermath

  The launch marked Stringr’s documented expansion beyond the U.S. market, although later operating scale is not available in the reference material.

  Source

• 2019

  Reuters Connect integrationStrategy

  Background

  Reuters sought to provide its customers with broader access to video resources and production support.

  Action taken

  Stringr partnered with Reuters, allowing Reuters Connect customers to use Stringr footage and editing services.

  Aftermath

  The partnership connected Stringr’s contributor network with an international news-distribution platform.

  Source

• 2020

  Stringr raises $5.75 million from Thomson Reuters and other investors[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Stringr raised $5.75 million from Thomson Reuters, G5 Capital, and Advection Growth Capital. Reported cumulative funding increased to $7.25 million.

• 2019

  Stringr adds live streaming and expands internationally[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Stringr introduced live streaming, launched its service in the United Kingdom, and integrated with TVU Networks for live-coverage workflows.

• 2019

  Stringr partners with Reuters[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Reuters integration enabled Reuters Connect customers to use Stringr footage and video-editing services.

• 2018

  Stringr closes $1 million financing round[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company raised $1 million from investors including the Associated Press, McClatchy, Advection Growth Capital, and G5 Capital; reported cumulative funding reached $4.6 million.

• 2016

  Stringr expands to 200 U.S. markets[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The platform became available in approximately 200 U.S. markets and reported media relationships including The Washington Post and the Associated Press.

• 2015

  Stringr raises $1.5 million in funding[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A funding round led by Matter, Signia Ventures, and Founder.org provided $1.5 million for the company’s expansion.

• 2014

  Stringr raises $550,000 from angel investors[1]Stringren.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Stringr had raised $550,000 from angel investors during its early development.

1. 1Stringren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Google News Initiative Renews its Commitment to Supporting Local Journalism with Expansion of Stringr Partnershipprweb.com
3. 3Stringr Secures $5.75 Million in Funding from Thomson Reuters and Returning Investorsprnewswire.com