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Glance, a consumer internet company that owns the popular entertainment-led shopping platform Roposo, has invested in Collective Artists Network, a talent management network and pop-culture marketplace. Glance itself is a part of the mobile advertising technology group, InMobi.
In July, the Glance and Collective Artists Network had launched a joint venture, Glance Collective, that co-creates consumer brands with multiple celebrities and creators. Glance did not disclose its quantum of investment nor the valuation.
Following this investment, Glance said it is already in advanced discussions for partnerships with celebrities and creators. The partnerships are expected to help power live content on Glance lock screen and drive entertainment-led commerce on Roposo.
Also read Glance’s Roposo forays into live commerce
Glance claims to have over 150 million active users in India and an estimated 25 million in South-East Asia. The company has also recently launched Glance LIVE, a streaming service for 24/7, real-time content on the lock screen. Roposo has over 30 million active users, the company added. Funded by Google and Mithril Partners, Glance is an unconsolidated subsidiary of InMobi.
Influencers, creators
Collective Artists Network is a marketplace for popular culture and a talent management and pop-culture brand advisory. The company claims to manage more than 8,500 influencers and creators through its platform Big Bang Social, including top actors and pop culture icons.
Piyush Shah, Co-founder, InMobi Group, and President and COO of Glance, said: “Creator-led live content and commerce is the future of entertainment and e-commerce, and we intend to be at the forefront of this evolution. This strategic investment in Collective Artists Network is a step in that direction and allows us to forge meaningful, long-term synergies within the creator ecosystem. Our vision is to enable creators to go from being just entertainers to ‘creator-preneurs’; be it through live entertainment content, or through a variety of lucrative avenues for commerce, on both Glance and Roposo.”
Vijay Subramaniam, Group CEO and Founder of Collective Artists Network, said: “With the worlds of content and commerce merging, celebrities and creators are increasingly looking at newer avenues of growth and want to partner with platforms that not only have scale but also provide great economic opportunities. Glance and Collective are committed towards building a sustainable economy for creators, wherein they can become partners and entrepreneurs. This is an innovative partnership in our business and with Glance’s scale and our large network this will provide a significant opportunity for the creator ecosystem.”