CuriosityStream merges to go public
August 11, 2020
CuriosityStream Inc and Software Acquisition Group, a public special purpose acquisition company, (SPAC), which raised $150 million in November of 2019, announced that they are merging to turn Curiosity Stream into a NASDAQ company.
The announcement was made by John Hendricks, Chairman of CuriosityStream, and Jonathan Huberman, Chairman of Software Acquisition Group.
The combined company will be well capitalised with zero debt and an estimated $180 million of cash on the balance sheet. John Hendricks, founder of the Discovery Channel and former Chairman of Discovery Communications, will remain Chairman of the Board as well as the combined company’s largest shareholder. CuriosityStream will continue to operate under the current management team led by Clint Stinchcomb, President and CEO, a media executive with more than 25 years’ experience launching networks and developing and monetizing content, including as the key executive who launched Discovery’s digital networks.
“CuriosityStream has the unique advantage of being a ‘pure-play’ streaming media service that is not burdened with legacy linear TV assets in cable and broadcasting. Our consumer promise of offering premium factual content on demand in the new era of streaming has been enthusiastically embraced by curious viewers worldwide,” said John Hendricks, Founder and Chairman of CuriosityStream. “We are excited to now have access to the public capital markets to support our growth plans and to over-deliver on our mission to provide content that informs, enchants and inspires.”
“We are proud to combine with CuriosityStream,” said Jonathan Huberman, Chairman and CEO of Software Acquisition Group. “CuriosityStream is the clear leader in the high growth factual media streaming market. We look forward to working with such a strong management team led by industry legend John Hendricks and his business partner of many years, Clint Stinchcomb, as they continue to drive CuriosityStream adoption across global markets. I am confident our investors will share my total respect for their vision and leadership.”
“I take great delight in working with John Hendricks. And through the combination of his vision and our veteran-led operating team, we are already generating significant revenue growth. We have built a compelling and elegant global factual streaming service for consumers and that is only one part of the story,” said Clint Stinchcomb, President and CEO. “Unlike nearly every other streaming service that is largely reliant on a single revenue stream, subscription or advertising, we are building five robust, interrelated but distinct business lines. This influx of capital from the sponsors and the Software Acquisition Group team will only accelerate our march to becoming the world’s pure factual solution for consumers, distributors, brands, associations and media partners.”
Under the deal a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of Software Acquisition Group will acquire CuriosityStream through a reverse merger at an enterprise value of approximately $331 million and equity value of approximately $512 million.
CuriosityStream has over 13 million paying subscribers in over 175 countries, a robust library of over 3,100 original and licensed titles, and a history of doubling annual revenue, CuriosityStream is expected to accelerate growth with new cash funding resulting from the merger