PressBox Raises $2M Seed Funding Led by Relay Ventures

Bellingham, WA — April 21, 2026 — PressBox, the full-stack content and marketing personalization platform built for sports, media, and entertainment organizations, announced closing of a $2 million Seed round. The round was led by prior investors, Relay Ventures, and includes Capital Eleven, PAX Holdings, Alumni Ventures, and strategic investors such as Maryann Turcke (former COO, NFL), Shaun Koiner (co-CEO, Sporting News), Kerri Mattioli (SVP Media, Sporting News), and Dave Marks (former VP of Engineering, Bleacher Report).

PressBox empowers companies to create personalized, multi-modal experiences utilizing their proprietary agentic technology. In the last year, PressBox has partnered with organizations including The Sporting News, Fanatics, World Surf League, ALT Sports Data, and The Curling Group to integrate PressBox's agentic technology into operations across editorial, marketing, broadcast, analytics, and social.

"PressBox's progress over the past year has been beyond expectation, and the impact they've had on early partners has been remarkable," said Relay Ventures Founder & Partner John Albright. "Relay has long seen the opportunity with emerging leagues and media properties, especially those that invest in technology early. We've already witnessed within our own portfolio how quickly PressBox is proving invaluable in scaling content, marketing, broadcast, and operations."

“Media organizations are experiencing a foundational shift in how audiences engage with content,“ said Brian Hough, Co-Founder & CEO of PressBox. "As the ecosystem continues to fragment and AI changes how audiences receive information, real-time, personalized experiences are quickly becoming the expectation. Organizations at the forefront are building the systems to support a world where fans control how and when they engage with a brand like never before."

One of those organizations is The Sporting News, whose strategic investment underscores a strong belief in the future of hyper-personalized experiences while empowering its staff with tools that enable a greater focus on the human element.

“Having recently digitally archived our 140-year history of newspapers, magazines, and online content, The Sporting News is uniquely positioned to package our rich legacy with real-time content creation for fans across the world,” said Shaun Koiner, co-CEO of Sporting News Holdings and The Sporting News. “With 15 editions delivered in seven languages, PressBox enables our team to deliver unmatched context and experiences across all digital touchpoints.”

PressBox is also excited to announce the hiring of Kevin Jackson, who will be leading Editorial Product. Kevin brings over 35 years of experience in sports media, leading organizations at ESPN, FOX Sports, and Cllct.

“For years, I’ve been chasing the goal of delivering the best personalized content experience for sports fans around the globe,” said Jackson, a four-time National Sports Emmy winner. “I’m excited to join the team at PressBox, which has already added rocket fuel to that mission.”

“To have a leader of Kevin’s caliber believe in our vision is an incredible vote of confidence in both PressBox and our mission,” Hough said. “Kevin brings an unmatched depth of experience that will benefit not only the company, but our customers and their fans.”

This funding round comes as PressBox expands with new pilot partnerships and targets a general release later in 2026. Funds will be used for hiring across Product, Data, and Engineering, to support expansion into more sports, new modalities, and develop broader publishing capabilities.

About PressBox

PressBox is building the foundation of personalized media, content, and marketing. Rooted in deep industry expertise (Bleacher Report, ESPN, Warner Bros., Fox Sports), PressBox is purpose-built for the future of media and entertainment, accelerating the discovery, creation, and distribution of personalized, multi-modal content experiences, empowering organizations to reach audiences with highly individualized content and marketing at scale. Backed by $2.8M in funding from Relay Ventures, Capital Eleven, PAX Holdings, 43, Profluence Capital, and Alumni Ventures.

For more information on PressBox, visit https://pressbox.studio

For press or inquiries, please contact: press@pressbox.studio