Actively Deploying Capital · 2026

Backing &
Accelerating
The Next
Generation

Capital + Capabilities Model

Catena Growth Ventures is the dedicated investment arm of Catena Media — deploying minority equity into high-growth digital businesses with non-SEO traction and US market focus.

$500k
Minimum Check
$1M
Typical Cheque
US
Primary GEO Focus
2026
Active Deployment
Investment Focus
Affiliate & Digital Media Businesses
Paid Media · Communities · Creator Traffic
iGaming, Prediction Markets & Adjacent Verticals
Affiliate SaaS, Tooling & Data Platforms
$50k–$500k+
Monthly Revenue
Target Range
|
Minority Equity
Preferred
Structure
|
Founder-Led
Strong Operator
Required
|
Non-SEO
Traffic Diversification
Mandate
Our Thesis

Backing the Next
Generation of
Digital Winners

The affiliate landscape is shifting fast. Growth is moving beyond SEO into paid media, communities, and creator channels. CGV backs and accelerates the operators building these new engines — bringing capital and the full Catena platform alongside it.

01
Backing Next-Gen Operators
Many high-potential digital businesses lack access to capital. We invest early in founders building diversified, scalable traffic engines in high-intent verticals.
02
Accelerating Through Our Platform
Capital alone isn't the edge — we bring Catena's monetisation infrastructure, distribution network, and performance marketing expertise alongside every investment.
03
Capital + Capabilities Model
The full Catena ecosystem — CGV equity, the Mrktplays sub-affiliation marketplace, and our owned-and-operated properties — creates a compounding flywheel for portfolio companies.
The CGV Flywheel
MRKTPLAYS
Sub-Affiliation
Marketplace
Growth
Engine
O&O + Distribution
Growth
Ventures
Equity + Capital

Each portfolio company gets access to all three engines — equity capital, Mrktplays distribution, and O&O properties — creating compounding value beyond a single investment.

Investment Mandate

What We're
Looking For

We back affiliate and digital media businesses going beyond traditional SEO — founders building diversified, scalable traffic engines in high-intent US verticals.

01
Revenue Traction
$50k–$500k+ monthly revenue. Proven traction or a strong, demonstrable growth trajectory required.
02
Non-SEO Traffic Mix
Paid media (Meta, Google, TikTok), communities, influencer/creator — scalable channels beyond organic search.
03
Strong Operator at the Helm
Founder-led with clear ownership. We invest in people as much as products — operators who know their market.
04
US & Canada First
Primary focus on regulated North American markets. Global businesses with strong US traction considered.
Flexible by Design

How We
Invest

We tailor the structure to fit the business and growth stage — not the other way around.

%
Minority Equity
Typical $500k–$1M cheques. Minority stakes with long-term alignment.
Hybrid Structures
Equity combined with revenue share where the model suits it.
Growth Financing
Working capital and growth financing for businesses ready to accelerate.
Long-Term Partnership
Optional deeper integration as companies scale — we're in it for the long run.
Typical Investment Profile

The Businesses
We Back

We're not generalists. These are the specific profiles we actively seek out and move quickly on.

Paid Media Affiliate Scaling Aggressively
Multi-channel (Meta, Google, TikTok) with proven unit economics and a diversified traffic mix.
Influencer or Tipster Network
Creator-driven traffic monetising engaged betting and gaming audiences at scale.
Community Platform (Discord / Telegram)
Strong engagement, growth trajectory, and a clear monetisation model tied to regulated verticals.
Affiliate SaaS or Data Platform
Tooling solving real problems for performance marketers and affiliates in our target verticals.
Early-Stage Operator
Clear product-market fit and a strong operator capable of scaling with capital and platform support.
Quick-Screen Criteria

What Moves
Through Fast

$
Revenue & Growth
$50k+ MRR with clear YoY trajectory. Gross/net split confirmed upfront.
Traffic Breakdown
Channel mix with SEO vs non-SEO split. Non-SEO must be material and growing.
📍
US GEO Presence
US revenue or US audience — ideally both. State-by-state breakdown a plus.
Operator Quality
Founder with domain depth and a track record of building and scaling digital businesses.
Core Verticals

Where We Play

Primary focus on iGaming and prediction markets, with strong appetite for the tooling and community infrastructure that powers the ecosystem.

01
iGaming & Sportsbook
Affiliate and media businesses driving regulated sports betting and online casino verticals across US states.
Primary
02
Prediction Markets
Fantasy, skill-based gaming, and prediction market platforms at the intersection of finance, sports, and media.
Primary
03
Communities & Creators
Discord, Telegram, and influencer-driven traffic networks monetising high-intent betting and gaming audiences.
Primary
04
Affiliate SaaS & Tooling
Data platforms, analytics tools, and SaaS businesses serving the affiliate and performance marketing ecosystem.
Considered
05
Digital Media
Media companies with strong, defensible audience reach in adjacent high-intent digital verticals.
Considered
06
Sub-Affiliation (Mrktplays)
Expansion targets aligned with Catena's O&O footprint and the Mrktplays sub-affiliation marketplace.
Strategic
Why Partner With CGV

More Than
Capital

We're operators first. Catena Media runs five major O&O properties — portfolio companies get direct access to this distribution engine from day one.

01
Built-In Monetisation
Direct integration with Catena's platform ecosystem — active revenue from the point of investment.
02
Distribution at Scale
Access to Catena's established channels across iGaming, sportsbook, and adjacent verticals.
03
Mrktplays Marketplace
Immediate access to the Mrktplays sub-affiliation network — a commercial track independent of equity.
04
Performance Marketing Depth
Domain expertise built over years scaling affiliate businesses — not generic VC guidance.
Catena Media — O&O Portfolio
bonus.com legalsportsreport.com lineups.com gamingtoday.com playusa.com

Portfolio companies gain direct commercial integration pathways across these properties from the point of investment.

Selection by Design

We Pass Quickly
On the Wrong Fit

Being direct about what falls outside our mandate saves everyone time. If your business fits any of the below, we're not the right partner — and we'll say so quickly.

Pure SEO-dependent businesses with no diversification roadmap or clear non-organic channel strategy
Declining or stagnant assets without a credible turnaround thesis
Businesses without clear, proven monetisation — traffic alone is not a business model
Teams without a strong founder or operator — we do not back leaderless businesses
Short-term arbitrage plays without a defensible moat or long-term positioning
Submit a Deal

We Are Actively
Reviewing Deals

We aim to respond within 5–7 business days. The more context you include upfront, the faster we can give you a substantive answer.

Revenue & growth trajectory — monthly figures with YoY context
Traffic sources breakdown (SEO vs. paid vs. other)
Key geographies, with US breakdown where applicable
Business model and monetisation approach
Ownership structure and cap table overview
Asking price or valuation expectations, if available