PunchUp Live, the “Shopify for Performers,” Raises $2.3 Million Seed Round to Expand Beyond Comedy
PunchUp Live, a ticketing and live entertainment platform focused on stand-up comedy, has raised a new $2.3 million seed round led by Social Leverage. The funding will allow the company to expand into new sectors such as music, magic, and live podcasts, while continuing to support comedians and live performers.
The company had previously closed a $1 million pre-seed round in November, with participation from Heracles Capital, Hustle Fund, Evil Twin Capital, and several angel investors.
Founded by former Meta executives Danny Frenkel (who spent 13 years at Meta, most recently as a director in the advertiser ecosystem) and Alex Dajani (PunchUp’s CTO, who worked as a software engineer on AI, Ray-Bans, and Reality Labs), PunchUp is reinventing how artists engage with audiences. The platform offers tools for ticketing, audience analytics, direct fan communication, and e-commerce—while enabling artists to maintain ownership of their customer data.
Often described as a “Shopify for Comedians,” PunchUp empowers performers to grow their fanbase, sell merchandise, and customize their digital presence. The company has already managed over 55,000 ticket requests as the official partner of the Stern Grove Festival, and hosts exclusive content from prominent comedians including Steve Byrne, Rachel Feinstein, Mark Normand, and Sam Morril.
Morril’s experience with PunchUp is a compelling case study: initially projected to sell around 3,000 tickets at the Madison Square Garden Theater, he ultimately sold out all 5,000 seats. PunchUp’s analytics tools allowed his team to identify the most effective sales channels, optimize timing, and drive performance—an outcome Morril credits to the PunchUp team.
With the new capital, the company aims to stay lean and efficient, investing in technical hires, strengthening its engineering team, and further developing its monetization models.
Having started in stand-up comedy, PunchUp now has its sights set on the broader live entertainment market, with the goal of becoming the go-to digital infrastructure for performers and creators.
Source: Deadline
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PunchUp Live, a ticketing and live entertainment platform focused on stand-up comedy, has raised a new $2.3 million seed round led by Social Leverage. The funding will allow the company to expand into new sectors such as music, magic, and live podcasts, while continuing to support comedians and live performers.
The company had previously closed a $1 million pre-seed round in November, with participation from Heracles Capital, Hustle Fund, Evil Twin Capital, and several angel investors.
Founded by former Meta executives Danny Frenkel (who spent 13 years at Meta, most recently as a director in the advertiser ecosystem) and Alex Dajani (PunchUp’s CTO, who worked as a software engineer on AI, Ray-Bans, and Reality Labs), PunchUp is reinventing how artists engage with audiences. The platform offers tools for ticketing, audience analytics, direct fan communication, and e-commerce—while enabling artists to maintain ownership of their customer data.
Often described as a “Shopify for Comedians,” PunchUp empowers performers to grow their fanbase, sell merchandise, and customize their digital presence. The company has already managed over 55,000 ticket requests as the official partner of the Stern Grove Festival, and hosts exclusive content from prominent comedians including Steve Byrne, Rachel Feinstein, Mark Normand, and Sam Morril.
Morril’s experience with PunchUp is a compelling case study: initially projected to sell around 3,000 tickets at the Madison Square Garden Theater, he ultimately sold out all 5,000 seats. PunchUp’s analytics tools allowed his team to identify the most effective sales channels, optimize timing, and drive performance—an outcome Morril credits to the PunchUp team.
With the new capital, the company aims to stay lean and efficient, investing in technical hires, strengthening its engineering team, and further developing its monetization models.
Having started in stand-up comedy, PunchUp now has its sights set on the broader live entertainment market, with the goal of becoming the go-to digital infrastructure for performers and creators.
Source: Deadline
Share:
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