US-based online media company NowThis Media has secured $16.2m in a series D round led by media firm Axel Springer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
NBC News Group, which acts as a subsidiary of entertainment and media producer NBCUniversal, telecommunications and internet company SoftBank, and venture capital firm Oak Investment Partners also took part in the round.
Founded as NowThis News, NowThis Media produces short form news and current affairs videos it distributes to social media platforms.
The company claims it now averages 700 million video views a month, compared to 70 million in January, when it gave up its homepage to concentrate solely on social media.
NowThis has grown its presence despite operating with a team of fewer than 50 people. The series D round will provide it with the means to grow its workforce and expand internationally.
The company has now raised a total of $32m, having closed a $6m series C round in December 2014 featuring Axel Springer, NBCUniversal, SoftBank, Oak Investment and VC firm Lerer Hippeau Ventures.
SoftBank had previously participated in NowThis’ $4.8m series B round in 2013 through its SoftBank Capital unit, investing alongside Oak Investment, Lerer Hippeau and Bedrocket.
The funding represents another US deal for Germany-based Axel Springer, which acquired Business Insider for $343m in September, after investing in lifestyle media company Thrillist, virtual reality technology developer Jaunt, deal finding app Retale and content saving platform Pocket in 2015.