Graspr syndicates how-to videos, raises $2.5 million
The video site is among a raft of startups vying to be the next YouTube for do-it-yourself types. Can it break out of the pack with a new syndication model?
Graspr, a site for watching do-it-yourself videos on everything from how to make a homemade BB gun to how to break-dance, said Thursday it has raised $2.5 million in Series A funding from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, among other investors.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company, which launched in September, is among a throng of how-to video start-ups that are nabbing millions from investors and seeking to become the next YouTube for instructional clips. Among its rivals are 5Min, ExpertVillage, Howcast, and VideoJug.
As part of its funding announcement, Graspr said that it has introduced technology to syndicate its more than 20,000 how-to videos. The new technology will let video creators share in the advertising revenue that results from the distribution of their work.
"By putting syndication at the heart of Graspr, the ability to promote, distribute and monetize instructional video content is easier than ever," Tim Draper, founder of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, said in a statement.