A+E Global Media Joins Mercurius Media Capital as Strategic Limited Partner

Global entertainment company joins U.S.-based media-for-equity platform, bringing premium programming and national reach to growth-stage companies

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A+E Global Media, the company behind some of the most-watched programming across the multiplatform viewing ecosystem, has joined Mercurius Media Capital (MMC) as a Strategic Limited Partner, becoming the latest media powerhouse to enter MMC's media-for-equity venture platform.

Growth-stage consumer brands have long faced the same constraint: premium entertainment inventory is priced for established players with established budgets. Through this partnership, MMC portfolio companies gain access to A+E's robust multiplatform audiences at a stage when that kind of reach would otherwise be out of the question. In return, A+E gets early positioning with brands built for its viewers and an opportunity to accelerate and capitalize on their growth.

The partnership combines A+E reach and programming credibility with MMC’s deal flow and the media-for-equity structure. This gives portfolio companies something that has historically been reserved for brands spending at a national scale.

A+E Global Media

A+E Global Media is home to some of the most recognized brands in entertainment, reaching audiences across linear television, streaming, and digital platforms worldwide. With a legacy of premium storytelling and a portfolio that spans cultural touchpoints from history to true crime to lifestyle, A+E has built deep viewer loyalty across demographics. The company's ad sales team is known for working closely with brand partners, bringing a level of strategic collaboration that reflects decades of advertiser relationships.

“Through this partnership, we’re opening up the full power of A+E Global Media’s multiplatform portfolio to help emerging brands connect with audiences across our expansive touchpoints,” said Toby Byrne, President of A+E Media Solutions. "We’re passionate about working with companies at pivotal stages of their journey, and this model allows us to pair our scale, storytelling and audience insights with their ambition to drive meaningful, long-term growth.”

Media-for-equity has operated in Europe for over a decade, backing brands through structured media investments. But the approach has been slower to take hold in the U.S., where the advertising ecosystem has historically favored transactional relationships over equity alignment. MMC, which launched in December 2023 and has since crossed $200M in media capital (including optional commitments), is building the infrastructure to change that.

A+E's involvement carries weight. The company is known for building deep, long-running relationships with its advertising partners. Through MMC, brands get that benefit at their earliest inflection point, when the right media exposure can be the difference between a product that sells and a brand that scales.

"When premium media is structured as equity, it stops being an expense and starts compounding," said Piyush Puri, Founding Partner of MMC. "A+E puts that in a category of its own. This is premium entertainment reach, deep audience loyalty, and a brand that carries real weight with consumers. For our portfolio companies, that combination changes the math on what's possible at the growth stage."

Notes to Editors

About Mercurius Media Capital

Mercurius Media Capital (MMC) is pioneering a new category in venture capital: media as growth capital. As the first U.S.-based media-for-equity venture fund, MMC provides high-growth consumer companies with premium advertising inventory in exchange for equity, enabling them to scale brand awareness and customer acquisition without sacrificing cash reserves.

Co-founded by Satyan Gajwani and Piyush Puri, who bring over fifteen years of experience and a $3 billion track record in media investments through The Times of India Group, MMC launched in December 2023 with over $200M in media capital commitments (including optional capital). The firm partners with leading media platforms, including Sinclair Broadcast Group, TelevisaUnivision, and Atmosphere TV, to deliver nationwide reach across television, digital, and out-of-home channels.

MMC has deployed nearly $30 million across its portfolio, empowering startups to compete with established players by combining capital efficiency, advertising expertise, and strategic operational support under one platform.

About A+E Global Media

A+E Global Media, a joint venture of Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst, is an innovative, multiplatform content powerhouse that reaches audiences everywhere and is comprised of some of the most popular and culturally relevant brands in media, including A&E®, Lifetime®, HISTORY®, LMN®, FYI®, Home.Made.Nation™ and VICE TV®. Our reach extends to more than 400 million households in over 200 territories and more than 40 languages. The company produces best-in-class content across the multiplatform landscape and boasts full-scale production capabilities with A+E Studios® (scripted) and A+E Factual Studios™ (unscripted); and a Digital Division encompassing Websites, Apps, social media, short form content, AVOD offerings; and SVODs including A&E Crime Central™, HISTORY Vault® and Lifetime Movie Club™; and more than 65 FAST channels from the company’s extensive and popular library. A+E Global Media is headquartered in the United States, with owned & operated entities in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and a joint venture in LATAM. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Facebook.

*For Accredited Investors Only.