NMV 2023 Investments

In 2023, New Media Ventures expanded our work at the intersection of media, technology, and democracy—supporting founders and media leaders who are redefining how communities tell their stories, access justice, and participate in civic life. From cultural media to justice tech and local journalism, our 2023 investments reflect our commitment to building a more inclusive, democratic, and innovative media ecosystem.

Nuestro Stories (for-profit)

A content, influencer, adtech company and production studio devoted to celebrating Latino heritage every day. Their unique and unifying platform reverses stereotypical narratives through storytelling that highlights Latino histories, traditions, icons, and contributions to the U.S.—year round.

Founders: Angela Sustaita-Ruiz, Manny Ruiz
In their words: “This investment by New Media Ventures is empowering stories about our Latino culture and icons with platforms, distribution capabilities, and technology that spans digital and social media, web, podcasts, films, shows, and documentaries.”
How you can help: Nuestro Stories is raising a Seed round—if you’re an investor interested in Latine media and this growing market, connect with them.
Connect: Find @NuestroStories on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, or visit nuestrostories.com.
More: Watch a short interview with Angela and Manny.

Good Call Technologies (for-profit)

A Black-led hybrid tech company building tools that provide effective, immediate access to legal support—directly confronting mass incarceration and empowering marginalized communities.

Founder: Jelani Anglin
In his words: “We are excited to be a part of the New Media Ventures portfolio and hope that this partnership can help catalyze Good Call’s growth as we work to provide tools to expand early access to counsel nationally.”
How you can help: Good Call is raising a $1.5 M Seed round and seeking introductions to impact-aligned funds.
Connect: Follow @goodcalltech on Instagram or Good Call Technologies on LinkedIn; visit goodcalltech.com or goodcall.nyc.
More: Watch a short interview with Jelani (coming soon on our Instagram).

Voices for Democracy Portfolio (nonprofit cohort)

In October 2023, NMV announced our Voices for Democracy Portfolio, a cohort of 14 early-stage, community-centric media outlets across seven key states—Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

As anti-democratic forces erode trust in local and community-based media, these outlets are holding the line—building the next generation of media institutions that reflect and serve their communities. With 78% BIPOC-led organizations, this cohort embodies the multiracial democracy we are striving to build.

While NMV has long invested in national progressive media infrastructure, the collapse of local news has left communities vulnerable to corruption, disinformation, and disengagement. Investing in trusted local media is essential to protecting and expanding democracy—so NMV is bringing our national expertise to local markets most under attack.

Over two months, we reviewed more than 350 state and local organizations focused on pro-democracy media work. These 14 grantees represent the most innovative approaches to content delivery and community integration, each with the capacity to mobilize audiences on issues that matter most heading into 2024 and beyond.

Learn more: Read about the 14 Voices for Democracy organizations [here].

Social Currant (for-profit)

A platform and managed service that helps impact organizations work with influencers more effectively. Launched as a youth-led agency in 2020, Social Currant now builds technology to make influencer partnerships accessible to any organization. In 2023 alone, they directed over $1 million to creators around social impact campaigns, engaging nearly 4,000 creators and reaching 35 million people on issues from social justice to voting.

In their words: “Since we were founded, Social Currant has been focused on expanding the progressive space. We’re thrilled about the investment from New Media Ventures and how it allows us to continue doing our work and prepare ourselves for 2024.” — Ashwath Narayanan, CEO & Co-Founder
How you can help: Invest in their work—they’re raising a $450 K pre-seed round to meet 2024 demand.
Learn more: Follow them on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.

Reliabl (for-profit)

A B2B AI infrastructure platform that accurately annotates data and builds high-performing AI models for customers across industries—helping organizations make more informed and less biased decisions. Reliabl leverages user participation in the data annotation process to improve algorithmic accuracy, reduce AI bias, and increase transparency.

In their words: “The NMV team recognizes the importance of data transparency solutions like Reliabl in efforts to reduce bias in AI and has given our team the resources and support we need to become a leader in this space.” — Annie Brown, Founder & CEO
How you can help: Connect them with impact organizations and researchers in ethical AI, as well as potential customers and investors for their pre-seed round.
Learn more: Follow them on LinkedIn.

Politicking (for-profit)

A sociopolitical mobile platform bridging the gap between disengaged voters and their elected officials. Politicking educates voters on candidate selection and provides personalized notifications for polling locations, early voting, and wait times—helping build political literacy and reduce barriers to participation.

In their words: “At Politicking, our mission is to democratize political engagement through innovative technology. Receiving NMV funding is a testament to the shared vision of empowering citizens in the democratic process.” — Wen-kuni Ceant, CEO & Co-Founder
How you can help: They’re raising and seeking experts in machine learning, AI, and go-to-market strategy.
Learn more: Follow them on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Legitimate (for-profit)

An AI-powered platform for journalists, publishers, and universities offering a suite of tools to streamline newsroom workflows. With an AI text editor and portfolio management features, Legitimate helps over 3,000 journalists globally save time and centralize resources—on track to grow to 50,000 users and become the “LinkedIn for journalists.”

In their words: “With NMV’s investment, we’re poised to accelerate our growth, enhance our services, and welcome a wave of new journalists into the Legitimate community.” — Caoimhe Donnelly, CEO
How you can help: Introduce them to newsrooms or potential investors.
Learn more: Follow them on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.