Wheelhouse, an independent content and talent platform, announced its first outside capital raise. The funding round, led by investment firm Alignment Growth, will enable Wheelhouse to build an infrastructure that attracts talent and accelerates growth via strategic acquisitions. As part of the deal, Alignment Growth Partner Jeff Bewkes will join the Wheelhouse Board of Directors.
Wheelhouse now comprises several production companies, including Spoke Studios, Campfire, Butternut, Wheelhouse UK, and DNA. It also has production partnerships in place with Jimmy Kimmel’s Kimmelot and Chef David Chang’s Majordomo Media. Wheelhouse’s marketing, digital, audio, and management arms complement its production capabilities, creating a multi-faceted flywheel uniting all parts of one ecosystem.
Wheelhouse’s TV and streaming series include Netflix’s King of Collectibles with Executive Producer Peyton Manning, Buying Beverly Hills and recent number one Netflix hit romcom Players; Hulu’s Secret Chef with David Chang, the EmmyÒ-winning WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn and the upcoming Got to Get Out; Max’s Smartless: On the Road; and Roku’s Celebrity Family Cookoff with Sofia Vergara, and others. Last year, Wheelhouse sold 20 series in various production stages for networks and platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Paramount+, HGTV, Food Network, and OWN.
This deal was spearheaded by Alignment Growth Partner Kevin Tsujihara, Wheelhouse President and General Counsel Rob Lia, and Chief Strategy Officer Ed Simpson, who leads M&A.
Wheelhouse was launched in 2018 by repeat founder and CEO Brent Montgomery. Before starting Wheelhouse, Montgomery founded and sold Leftfield Entertainment to ITV in 2014.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are building Wheelhouse as a collective of global creatives who not only shine on their own, but truly want to partner with one another across labels and divisions so we’re thrilled that Alignment’s investment will allow us to supersize our efforts engaging talent in front of and behind the camera.”
– Brent Montgomery
“We are excited to partner with and support Brent, a seasoned operator and a magnet for the best talent in non-scripted. His success in the space is unparalleled, and his team is well-positioned to build Wheelhouse into one of the preeminent names across the industry.”
– Jeff Bewkes, Founding Partner at Alignment Growth
