introduction

Our Story

DML started in late 2017 with a mission to support quality original journalism by providing local news publishers and non-profit journalism organizations with new, immersive content experiences, expanded distribution, and revenue opportunities.

Customers include the Local Media Foundation, McClatchy Corporation, The Denver Post, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Anchorage Daily News, Graham Media Group and many more local publishers and non-profit journalism organizations across North America.

Partnerships with leading industry associations supported by grant funding from Facebook, Google, Interledger Foundation and others help drive DML’s growth.

Now, imminent changes to Google Chrome concerning user privacy driven by global consumer sentiment and growing government regulation is forcing marketers across all industries to change the way they reach scaled and relevant audiences. The DML platform which currently serves local and non-profit news organizations is optimized by design for the emerging privacy-centric web economy. With this foundation and driven by the emerging market demand for privacy-centric audience engagement, DML is now offering the platform to serve the $80B content marketing sector.

Initial clients for DML’s branded content distribution include AARP, BioGen, Deloitte Consulting and others.

problem

There is no easy way for publishers and advertisers to share their content with large and relevant audiences across the open web.

As the dominant social platforms falter and Google proceeds toward implementing a more privacy centric web economy, we believe that traditional display advertising and social media are becoming less productive. These market trends push local news publishers and businesses as well as national brand and performance marketers to pursue consumer engagement with their own content on the open web.

Bringing that content to large audiences requires building direct partnerships with a multitude of publishers to access scaled and relevant audiences. Building those partnerships is extremely time-consuming and expensive.

solution

Distributed Media Lab aims to make it easy for everyone, from local news publishers and businesses to non-profit journalism organizations or national brand and performance marketers, to distribute their content in a way that can efficiently reach scaled and relevant audiences across the open web.

DML provides curated content collections via a simple embed code, like a YouTube embedded video, but for articles, videos and more. 

When a user clicks on a collection, it opens a responsive desktop or mobile viewer. The collections can be a collection of articles, articles and a piece of sponsored or branded content or all branded content.

Technology Platform

Local publishers, advertisers and content teams can leverage the DML Creator Hub to curate collections and create the embed code; it also provides analytics.

Publishers use the DML Marketplace to discover collections available. They can embed collections on their site, providing curated content across multiple topics or paid content from corporate and foundation sponsors.

business model

DML is a business-to-business company serving publishers and brands through multiple revenue models including subscription platform licensing, content production through DML’s Content Studio and audience extension as a service through DML’s Ad Operations unit.

The Content Marketing market is projected to grow by $487B from 2021 to 2026 with a CAGR of 15.8%, outpacing projected growth rates for standard digital display advertising and Search advertising.
---

market

DML provides a differentiated and compelling platform for publishers and brands engaged in digital content marketing.

Source

success to date

  • October 2017: Co-founder and CEO, David Gehring, sold his last company to Google and negotiated in the acquisition the option for launching Distributed Media Lab as an independent technology startup.
  • April 2018: Launched one of the first curated content collections powered by DML’s platform on Noozhawk, an innovative local digital news media organization in Santa Barbara.
  • July 2018: DML launched a series of experiments with publisher partners using the platform to drive greater engagement from social and email distribution.
  • October 2018: Embedded midterm election collections on dozens of local news websites in California resulting in significant audience reach and engagement for critical content about Voting in the midterms.
  • August 2020: Received a $2M grant from Interledger Foundation to build support for Web Monetization into the DML platform.
  • September 2020: Acquired Wundervue LLC, bringing on a new Chief Revenue Officer and VP of Operations to build the DML local media business.
  • December 2020: Launched The Branded Content Project to provide new revenue streams to local news publishers in partnership with the Local Media Association and the Local Media Consortium with multi-year funding from Facebook.
  • August 2021: Closed DML’s $2.45M Series Seed financing.
  • July 2022: Launched the subscription platform, establishing a SaaS model for growing DML’s business.
  • August 2022: Launched branded content programmatic distribution for national brand and performance marketers targeting the $80B Content Marketing Market.

team

Media + Tech is hard. Experience matters.

Dave Gehring
CEO // Cofounder
Previously an executive at YouTube, Google and The Guardian, Dave has a strong track record as an entrepreneur selling his last company to Google just before starting Distributed Media Lab with Sam Parnell.
Sam Parnell
Board Member // Cofounder
Sam is currently a Board member and formerly the founding CTO of Distributed Media Lab. Sam is still active as a mentor and strategist to DML. Previously, Sam was the CTO at Bleacher Report through their acquisition by CNN where he subsequently served as VP Engineering.

Katharina Borchert
Board Member
Katharina Borchert is a well traveled senior executive and entrepreneur across the media and technology industries. Currently the Founder of a health tech startup, Borchert previously served as Chief Innovation Officer for Mozilla and CEO of Spiegel Online in Germany.

Hannah Eaves
Head of Product
Hannah Eaves brings many years of product innovation and development to her role as Head of Product for DML. Hannah also serves the Gates Foundation as an expert in impact measurement, which are skills that also benefit DML’s publisher and brand clients.
Jarrett Shaffer
VP Business Operations
Previously with the Dallas Morning News, Jarrett’s team manages DML’s operations across programmatic and direct distribution.

Kevin Gilbert
Senior Engineering Advisor
As Head of Engineering, Kevin brings years of innovation experience across a range of technologies from networks to infrastructure and the web.

Use of Proceeds


If the offering's maximum amount of $690,661 is raised:

UseValue% of Proceeds
Employee Compensation / Salaries$616,81989.3%
Marketing$20,0002.9%
Technology / Software$20,0002.9%
Intermediary fees$33,8424.9%

Terms

This is an offering of Common Stock, under registration exemption 4(a)(6), in Distributed Media Lab, Inc.. This offering must raise at least $10,000 by April 24, 2023 at 11:59pm ET. If this offering doesn’t reach its target, then your money will be refunded. Distributed Media Lab may issue additional securities to raise up to $690,661, the offering’s maximum.

If the offering is successful at raising the maximum amount, then the company’s implied valuation after the offering (sometimes called its post-money valuation) will be:

12,778,901 shares
×
$1.48 per share
$18,912,773implied valuation

Financials

These financial statements have been reviewed by an independent Certified Public Accountant.

SEC Filings

The Offering Statement is a formal description of the company and this transaction. It’s filed with the SEC to comply with the requirements of exemption 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933.

We’re also required to share links to each of the SEC filings related to this offering with investors.

Understand the Risks

Be sure to understand the risks of this type of investment. No regulatory body (not the SEC, not any state regulator) has passed upon the merits of or given its approval to the securities, the terms of the offering, or the accuracy or completeness of any offering materials or information posted herein. That’s typical for Regulation CF offerings like this one.

Neither Netcapital nor any of its directors, officers, employees, representatives, affiliates, or agents shall have any liability whatsoever arising from any error or incompleteness of fact or opinion in, or lack of care in the preparation or publication of, the materials and communication herein or the terms or valuation of any securities offering.

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond the company’s control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties, and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy, and liquidity. No obligation exists to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

More Info

Updates

  • Jan 21, 2024
    We closed 2024 with a partnership with KQED in...

    We closed 2024 with a partnership with KQED in San Francisco. KQED received funding from Google to harness DML’s platform to build a California News syndication network. Since the announcement in November, we have been busy putting the pieces together to launch in January. Beyond California, we are now using this model to develop DML powered state news syndication networks across the U.S. More announcements soon to come! Needless to say, we are very excited to offer local news publishers new revenue from brand marketing with major advertisers which the local news publishers individually would never have been in a position to monetize on their own. In this way, we are building on the mission to develop new revenue models for journalism in general and local news in particular. Our hope is that in supporting journalism economically, we will do our part to empower news organizations to do their job supporting democracy in an increasingly hostile political environment.

    Read more
  • Sep 1, 2023
  • Jul 12, 2023
    Over the last couple months, we have primarily...

    Over the last couple months, we have primarily focused on business development and we have made some good progress.

    We’d like to announce a new partnership with EdSource to launch the California Education News Network funded with sponsorship from Google. We are moving rapidly with this project and expect to have education collections, curated by EdSource using the DML Publisher Hub platform, embedded on our first network host partner websites in the next couple weeks. Press Release linked below.

    This effort is a reflection of our broader strategy to build topical networks across 5 key verticals including, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Women’s Sports, and Local.

    Stay tuned for announcements across our other key verticals in the coming weeks!

    Read more
  • Apr 25, 2023
    Primary offering finalized, selling 21,688 shares
    Sold 21,688 shares at $1.48 for a total of $32,098.24
  • Apr 20, 2023
    Distributed Media Lab powering new campaign...

    Distributed Media Lab powering new campaign “The Financial Journey” for Wells Fargo in partnership with the Local Media Association distributing Wells Fargo content across a network of local news publishers across the U.S.

    Learn more about DML
  • Mar 18, 2023
    Adi Ignatius, Editor in Chief for Harvard...

    Adi Ignatius, Editor in Chief for Harvard Business Review is one of Distributed Media Lab’s newest investors. Here’s what he has to say about investing, “Distributed Media Lab is trying to build a significant business that will help protect original quality journalism. I’m happy to be an early supporter.”

    Learn more about DML
  • Mar 17, 2023
    Distributed Media Lab powers content sharing...

    Distributed Media Lab powers content sharing across a network of local black news publishers funded by Deloitte Consulting. Publishers include Dallas Weekly, Seattle Medium, Sacramento Observer, Afro News, Houston Defender and several more!

    Read more
  • Mar 17, 2023
    Brad Bender, formerly Google VP Product- News...

    Brad Bender, formerly Google VP Product- News and Search Ecosystems is one of Distributed Media Lab’s newest investors and active advisors!

    Read more
  • Feb 22, 2023
    Primary offering of 466,663 shares at $1.48
  • Feb 22, 2023
  • Feb 22, 2023

Ask a Question

Proofread your comment before submitting: once it's posted, you can’t edit or delete it. Investors are advised to review our Discussion Board Policy before submitting a comment. For the fastest help with the web site, email help@netcapital.com instead of commenting.

Looking to raise capital?
We can help turn your friends, family and customers into investors.

Learn more

Interested in more investment opportunities?
Browse all offerings currently available.

See more