Key Points
- Clipbook uses AI to understand context in media mentions, not just keywords.
- Founder Adam Joseph launched the startup in 2023 and reached $1 million ARR before seeking funding.
- Joseph sent a cold‑email pitch to Mark Cuban, who responded with a rigorous Q&A.
- Cuban asked for a demo report on his CostPlus Drugs venture; Clipbook delivered a comprehensive analysis.
- $3 million seed round led by Mark Cuban, Commonweal Ventures, and Carpenter Capital closed in early 2025.
- The round expands Clipbook’s ability to develop its platform and grow its market reach.
- Clipbook now serves about 200 customers, including Weber Shandwick and Boston Consulting Group.
Background
Clipbook is an AI‑native platform designed to help companies monitor what the press, podcasts, and social media say about them and their competitors. The service goes beyond simple keyword matching by interpreting context, allowing it to surface nuanced references across audio and video content. The company was founded in 2023 by Adam Joseph, who previously worked in public‑relations roles for Boston Consulting Group. Within a year, Clipbook was bootstrapped to $1 million in annual recurring revenue, prompting Joseph to seek external capital.
Cold‑Email Pitch to Investors
Determined to partner with investors who understood the media‑technology space, Joseph compiled a list of the top five media investors worldwide. Mark Cuban, a billionaire entrepreneur with a history in media networks and a reputation for responding to unsolicited pitches, topped that list. In a decisive move, Joseph drafted a one‑page investment pitch and sent it directly to each investor on the list without a warm introduction.
Due Diligence and the CostPlus Drugs Report
Cuban responded to the email, but his reply was framed as a series of skeptical questions—what Joseph described as “the most skeptical 20 questions.” After addressing those inquiries, Cuban requested a concrete demonstration of Clipbook’s capabilities. He asked Joseph to produce a media‑coverage report for CostPlus Drugs, an online pharmacy and public‑benefit corporation that Cuban co‑founded. Joseph delivered a report that uncovered relevant mentions, including a previously unknown podcast conversation about pharmacy‑benefit services. Cuban expressed particular enthusiasm for the depth and relevance of the findings.
Funding Announcement
Impressed by the product’s performance, Cuban, along with venture firms Commonweal Ventures and Carpenter Capital, agreed to lead a $3 million seed round for Clipbook. The first portion of the round closed in early 2025, with additional investors joining in the weeks that followed. The infusion of capital is intended to accelerate product development, expand go‑to‑market efforts, and broaden the company’s customer base.
Growth and Customer Base
Following the funding round, Clipbook reported a customer base of roughly 200 companies. Notable clients include global communications firm Weber Shandwick and Joseph’s former employer, Boston Consulting Group. The company continues to position itself as a differentiated AI‑native solution in a market populated by platforms such as Sprinklr, Sprout Social, and Hootsuite, emphasizing its ability to understand context and analyze audio‑visual media.
Source: techcrunch.com