Media-for-Equity Funding for Tech Startups is emerging as one of the most powerful ways for early-stage companies to scale when traditional capital dries up. Robotics startup Figure recently secured a $1bn investment as part of a VC funding round, which valued it at $39bn – up from $2.6bn just a year earlier. While this marks an exceptional success story, it also highlights a growing disparity in today’s venture capital (VC) landscape — one where only a select few tech companies can access the capital needed to scale.
Between 2021 and 2024, global VC investment declined from $671bn to $368bn, a 45% drop. In 2025, it fell by 21% between Q1 and Q2. According to global advisory firm Sprout, the number of deals in early-stage VC investments also fell 23.1% year-on-year.
Yet for early and growth-stage consumer tech startups, marketing and visibility remain non-negotiable. Without strong brand awareness and sustained user acquisition, even the most innovative technologies struggle to gain traction. The question is: how can startups fund that crucial exposure when traditional capital is scarce?
Media-for-Equity: Fueling Growth Through Visibility
One solution is “media-for-equity,” an investment model in which media companies provide advertising space or airtime to startups in exchange for equity rather than cash.
For consumer tech startups, this offers a powerful way to turn equity into scalable growth. Instead of spending limited funds on costly ad campaigns, they can leverage professional media partners to support brand awareness, acquire customers, and expand into new markets, all while preserving runway for product and operational investment.
In today’s fast-moving tech ecosystem, where new products appear daily and attention spans are fleeting, speed to visibility can determine whether a company leads or lags. Startups have only a short window to establish brand recognition before attention shifts to new players and emerging trends. Waiting months for additional funding to launch a national marketing campaign is no longer a realistic growth strategy, and the window of opportunity can close quickly if startups fail to act.
New Growth Engine for U.S. Tech Startups
While media-for-equity has been a tried and tested model in other areas of the world – with the notable examples of Channel 4 Ventures in the UK and Aggregate Media in Sweden – it was only with the launch of Mercurius Media Capital (MMC) in 2023 that the U.S. gained its first institutional media-for-equity fund in that form.
By partnering with leading platforms such as Sinclair Broadcast Group, TelevisaUnivision, and Atmosphere TV, MMC provides high-impact media inventory to startups best positioned to benefit from large-scale visibility. Since its founding, it has invested $28m across 12 companies, helping them achieve a far greater brand presence than would otherwise have been possible.
Scaling Consumer Tech with Strategic Media
From homebuying apps to smart-home solutions and mobile reward platforms, MMC’s recent investments illustrate how the media-for-equity model is reshaping the growth trajectory of consumer technology brands. Media-for-Equity Funding provides a path for these innovators to gain market share and visibility without diluting their cash reserves.
From homebuying apps to smart-home solutions and mobile reward platforms, MMC’s recent investments illustrate how the media-for-equity model is reshaping the growth trajectory of consumer technology brands.
In March 2025, MMC injected $5 million into reAlpha, an Ohio-based real estate technology company building a commission-free, end-to-end homebuying platform. The funding fueled its national expansion and ongoing fundraising efforts, helping the brand scale its presence across the U.S. MMC’s media expertise “will align perfectly with reAlpha’s growth strategy to increase visibility of the brand nationally,” said Mike Logozzo, President and COO of reAlpha, when the deal was announced.
By May, MMC had added Mode Mobile to its growing portfolio, committing $1 million with the option to invest a further $2 million. Based in Chicago, Mode Mobile has gained attention for transforming ordinary smartphones into “EarnPhones,” powered by its proprietary EarnOS platform. By leveraging MMC’s media inventory, the partnership aims to expand Mode’s visibility and adoption across the U.S., positioning the brand as both an innovator and a trustworthy player in a rapidly evolving space.
The momentum extends beyond the U.S. market. In the UK, Channel 4 Ventures continues to back consumer-focused innovators, such as Sprive, a fintech app that helps homeowners pay off mortgages faster. Meanwhile, in Sweden, Aggregate Media’s investment in Beredd, an e-commerce platform for outdoor and sports gear, underscores how the media-for-equity approach is thriving across diverse markets.
An expert media partner
These investments illustrate how Media-for-Equity Funding for Tech Startups can significantly amplify a brand’s reach and impact. Beyond serving as an alternative to traditional VC funding, this model introduces startups to partners who understand how to use media strategically to drive customer acquisition and brand credibility. On a larger scale, this type of investment will also play a real part in creating value and driving new economic growth.
As competition intensifies across the media and technology landscapes, the ability to scale quickly can mean the difference between success and failure. For tech startups, the opportunity to exchange a small equity stake for high-value, targeted media exposure offers a clear competitive edge — one that converts visibility directly into growth.
Image Credit: Photo by Caleb Oquendo: Pexels
