Top 20 Angel Investors for Media Startups: The Ultimate Guide for Founders

Let's cut through the noise and get straight to who's actually writing checks for media startups in 2025.

I've spent years tracking who's making moves in the media investment space, and I'm about to hand you the exact list you need.

Why These Angel Investors Matter

Most startup founders waste months chasing investors who aren't even active anymore.

This list? It's full of people who are actively investing right now, understand media deeply, and bring way more than just money to the table.

The Complete List of 20 Media Angels

1. Gary Vaynerchuk

Investment Focus: Social media, content platforms
Check Size: $250K-$1M
Notable Investments: Discord, Doodle, OpenSea
Why He's Valuable: Built VaynerMedia, deep understanding of creator economy

2. Alexis Ohanian

Investment Focus: Community platforms, Web3 media
Check Size: $100K-$500K
Notable Investments: Patreon, Reddit, Substack
Why He's Valuable: Reddit co-founder, gets community building

3. Li Jin

Investment Focus: Creator economy, passion economy
Check Size: $50K-$250K
Notable Investments: Substack, Stir, Pietra
Why She's Valuable: Pioneer in creator economy investing

4. Mark Cuban

Investment Focus: Sports media, streaming platforms
Check Size: $100K-$2M
Notable Investments: Mercury Protocol, Fireside
Why He's Valuable: Media mogul with deep industry connections

5. Kevin Rose

Investment Focus: Digital media, Web3 platforms
Check Size: $100K-$500K
Notable Investments: Medium, Twitter (early)
Why He's Valuable: Digg founder, extensive media experience

6. Balaji Srinivasan

Investment Focus: Decentralized media, crypto content platforms
Check Size: $50K-$500K
Notable Investments: BitClout, Mirror
Why He's Valuable: Visionary in decentralized media

7. Naval Ravikant

Investment Focus: AI content platforms, decentralized media
Check Size: $100K-$1M
Notable Investments: Twitter, Stack Overflow
Why He's Valuable: AngelList founder, vast network

8. Jason Calacanis

Investment Focus: Media tech, podcasting platforms
Check Size: $100K-$750K
Notable Investments: Uber, Calm, Robinhood
Why He's Valuable: Built and sold media companies

9. Katie Jacobs Stanton

Investment Focus: Digital media, social impact
Check Size: $50K-$250K
Notable Investments: Clubhouse, Various media startups
Why She's Valuable: Ex-Twitter executive, strong media background

10. Ryan Hoover

Investment Focus: Creator tools, social platforms
Check Size: $25K-$100K
Notable Investments: Clubhouse, Mercury
Why He's Valuable: Product Hunt founder, great at product

11. Josh Spector

Investment Focus: Newsletter platforms, content monetization
Check Size: $25K-$100K
Notable Investments: Various newsletter startups
Why He's Valuable: Newsletter expert, audience building pro

12. David Sacks

Investment Focus: Enterprise media, B2B content platforms
Check Size: $100K-$1M
Notable Investments: Facebook, Slack
Why He's Valuable: Yammer founder, deep enterprise knowledge

13. Elad Gil

Investment Focus: Media infrastructure, scalable platforms
Check Size: $100K-$1M
Notable Investments: Airbnb, Coinbase
Why He's Valuable: Color founder, operational expertise

14. Sarah Tavel

Investment Focus: Social platforms, consumer media
Check Size: $50K-$500K
Notable Investments: Pinterest (worked there)
Why She's Valuable: Deep consumer platform expertise

15. Josh Elman

Investment Focus: Social apps, consumer platforms
Check Size: $50K-$250K
Notable Investments: Medium, LinkedIn
Why He's Valuable: Product veteran from major platforms

16. Hunter Walk

Investment Focus: Video platforms, community tools
Check Size: $100K-$500K
Notable Investments: Anchor, Expo
Why He's Valuable: Ex-YouTube product director

17. Kanyi Maqubela

Investment Focus: Media tech, entertainment platforms
Check Size: $50K-$250K
Notable Investments: Various media startups
Why He's Valuable: Strong focus on consumer behavior

18. Michael Seibel

Investment Focus: Video platforms, content creation tools
Check Size: $50K-$250K
Notable Investments: Twitch (founded), Reddit
Why He's Valuable: YC partner, founded successful video platforms

19. Ann Miura-Ko

Investment Focus: AI media, future of content
Check Size: $100K-$1M
Notable Investments: Lyft, Refinery29
Why She's Valuable: Deep tech background with media focus

20. Chris Sacca

Investment Focus: Social platforms, media distribution
Check Size: $100K-$2M
Notable Investments: Twitter, Instagram
Why He's Valuable: Early Twitter investor, understands platform scaling

How to Approach These Angels

Three things that actually work:

Build something users love and show clear metrics
Get warm intros through their portfolio companies
Engage meaningfully with their content before reaching out

What They're Looking For in 2025

Clear revenue model from day one
Strong community engagement metrics
Unique angle in a crowded market
Founder with deep market insights

FAQ

What's the minimum traction needed?

Depends on your model:

Content platforms: 10K+ active users
B2B media tools: 5-10 paying customers
Creator tools: 100+ creator waitlist

How much should I ask for?

First check sweet spot is usually $100K-$250K. Match your ask to their typical check size.

Cold outreach or warm intro?

Warm intros win 90% of the time. But if you have insane traction, cold outreach can work.

Final Thoughts

The media landscape changes fast, but these angels have proven they can spot winners early.

Focus on building something users actually want, and these investors will be fighting to get into your round.

Remember: the best angel investors for media startups are the ones who've built successful media companies themselves.

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