Photo provided by UTA
Why Talent Agency UTA Is Going Big on NFTs
If you need more proof that NFTs have officially invaded Hollywood, look no further than United Talent Agency’s client roster.
The Beverly Hills-based talent agency recently signed Deadfellaz, an NFT collection of 10,000 zombie portraits. UTA counts Larva Labs, the creators behind the CryptoPunks NFT project, as a client, too. Even Coinbase, the publicly traded cryptocurrency exchange, is now part of UTA’s portfolio.
The agency’s foray into the crypto world shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Digital artists are selling NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, for sky-high prices. NFT exchanges like NBA Top Shot have attracted large fan bases willing to shell out money for digital collectibles. And entertainment companies in the music, film and gaming industries have been quick to venture into NFTs—even if there’s still plenty of skepticism about the digital assets.
“At first, my instinct was that this would be disruptive of things like art,” Lesley Silverman, UTA’s head of Web3 and a former fine art agent, told dot.LA. “We as an agency quickly realized that there would be similar innovation around the way we think about the broader media landscape, and that NFTs, and Web3 more broadly, would impact all of them.”
Silverman was the first full-time digital assets agent at UTA, which claims to be the first major talent agency to launch a dedicated Web3 practice. Other Hollywood talent agencies have since entered the fray—including rival WME, which recently signed a pair of Bored Ape NFTs.
Lesley Silverman, UTA’s head of Web3.
Provided by UTA
Initially, UTA aimed to help its existing clients navigate the Web3 world and launch NFT projects, such as a collaboration between Oscar-winning film score composer Hans Zimmer and NFT artist ThankYouX. But the agency soon realized that crypto is blooding a new generation of creators, founders and influencers who could use representation, Silverman said. Her team now helps clients like Deadfellaz secure brand partnerships, merchandising deals and live events—just like how UTA helps build the careers of actors, musicians and other entertainers.
“Our role is really to sit at the intersection of our clients and the things that may seem out of reach,” she said. “Their big ideas, their exciting plans—and the folks who they want to be connected to in order to carry those plans out.”
UTA has four people across the agency who work closely within the Web3 space, with plans to grow the Web3 group in the coming months. The group has facilitated more than 30 NFT drops, partnerships and other initiatives since launching in early 2021, according to the agency. The division has also worked to build a diverse talent roster, adding female-led projects and creators of color, Silverman said.
With the Web3 landscape constantly evolving, UTA will “remain nimble” when it comes to its NFT strategy, Silverman noted. One approach that’s currently resonating with fans is tying digital assets to real-world goods and experiences; indeed, the agency brokered a deal last month that will let Deadfellaz NFT holders create custom Gilson skis or snowboards depicting their own NFT artwork.
“It’s measurable that consumers want those things, and we are certainly not going to take that information lightly,” Silverman said. “Those are two areas that we will definitely look to expand and advise our clients to pursue.”
UTA recently commissioned a survey which found that while only 6% of U.S. consumers aged 16-to-54 have owned an NFT, about 38% want to own one in the future. Though the study’s results were bullish about the Web3 space overall, they did identify some obstacles; for instance, many consumers remain concerned about crypto scams and market volatility, or simply don’t know how to buy an NFT or what to do with one.
If the crypto industry can reduce those friction points, Silverman believes more consumers will flock to digital assets.
“All of that will lead to just more and more consumers entering into the space and equating digital ownership with how they interact socially, how they participate in communities and how they participate in fandom,” she said.
From Your Site Articles
- UTA's Sam Wick On Building Celebrity Startups - dot.LA ›
- 'It Is Scarce and Available to All': How Brud Is Using the Blockchain ... ›
- WME's Newest Clients Are A Pair Of Bored Ape NFTs - dot.LA ›
- United Talent Agency's Gaming SPAC Lands on the Nasdaq - dot.LA ›
- UTA.VC Launches to Invest in Creator Economy, Web3 Startups - dot.LA ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Impulse Space
Rockets have become remarkably good at carrying satellites beyond Earth. Once those satellites reach space, however, getting them from one orbit to another can still be slow, expensive or impossible.
Redondo Beach-based Impulse Space wants to change that, and investors are giving it considerably more fuel for the journey.
The company raised a $308M extension to its Series D, bringing the round’s total to $808M. The new financing comes just over three months after Impulse announced the initial $500M raise and pushes its total capital raised above $1.3B.
Existing investors 137 Ventures, BANNER VC, DFJ Growth, Linse Capital, Lux Capital and Valor Equity Partners participated in the extension. Impulse did not disclose a valuation, but convincing existing backers to commit another $308M so soon after an already substantial round is a strong signal of confidence in both the company and the market it is pursuing.
Founded by former SpaceX propulsion executive Tom Mueller, Impulse is building vehicles designed to move satellites and payloads after they have already reached space. If rockets are responsible for getting cargo off the ground, Impulse wants to handle what happens after delivery.
Impulse Space
Its Mira spacecraft is built for precise maneuvering, payload deployment and proximity operations in orbit. Helios, scheduled for its first flight in 2027, is a high-energy kick stage designed to move payloads from low Earth orbit to destinations such as geostationary orbit in less than a day. The company has also introduced an electric propulsion system called Electra and a rideshare service aimed at making higher-energy orbits more accessible.
Together, those products represent something larger than a collection of spacecraft. Impulse is attempting to build a transportation network for an economy that increasingly needs one.
That need is becoming harder to ignore. More satellites are reaching orbit, governments are prioritizing responsive space capabilities and commercial operators want greater flexibility after launch. A satellite that can change position, reach a different orbit or respond quickly to a new mission is significantly more useful than one permanently tied to its original destination.
The U.S. government is already putting Impulse’s thesis to work. Helios was selected for the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, making it the first upper-stage prime awarded a position in the program. Impulse also received a $28M contract extension to provide two Mira spacecraft for additional Space Systems Command missions.
The company says its headcount has more than doubled over the past year as it expanded its facilities in Redondo Beach, Mojave, Boulder and Washington, D.C. The new capital will support further hiring, product development and facility growth as Impulse works to serve commercial, civil and defense customers.
It also recently appointed its first chief financial officer, Adam Townsend, who previously helped guide Vizio through an IPO and its eventual sale to Walmart. The hire is another sign that Impulse is preparing for a more complex chapter, one defined not only by engineering milestones but also by a growing capital base, government contracts and large-scale operations.
That is where this announcement becomes more interesting than its considerable price tag.
Impulse has already shown that Mira can operate in space. Now it must prove that it can turn several ambitious vehicles into dependable infrastructure. The difference between a promising spacecraft company and a transportation network is repetition: more missions, more customers and systems that work reliably enough to become part of how the space economy operates.
An $808M round gives Impulse the resources to pursue that vision. It also raises the expectations attached to it.
For Southern California, the financing reinforces the region’s role in the new space economy. Los Angeles helped build the original aerospace industry, and a new generation of companies is now developing the vehicles, factories and infrastructure intended to support life beyond the launchpad.
Impulse Space is tackling what may be the next big bottleneck. Getting to space is only the beginning.
Someone still has to get you where you are going.
More from this week’s LA startup and venture scene below.
🤝 Venture Deals
LA Venture Funds
- Riot Ventures co-led EnduroSat’s $205M funding round alongside Atreides Management, with participation from GV, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, the European Innovation Council and other investors. The Bulgarian space company will use the capital to open a high-volume satellite factory in the U.S., build a major European space and defense hub and scale production of its standardized spacecraft. - learn more
- Upfront Ventures and M13 participated in Ayble Health’s $16M Series A, led by Neon and joined by Unum Ventures, Cleveland Clinic Ventures, DigiTx and Accomplice. The virtual-care company will use the funding to expand its AI-enabled clinic for chronic digestive and autoimmune conditions across national health plans, major employers and benefits platforms, bringing its total capital raised to more than $27M. - learn more
- Blue Heron Ventures participated in Voxela’s Series A, led by Delight Ventures and joined by SOMPO Growth Partners, Happiness Capital, Archetype Ventures and ALL STAR SAAS FUND, bringing the eldercare technology company’s total funding to approximately $13.2M. Voxela will use the capital to expand hiring and develop new AI capabilities for its VCare platform, which helps care facilities monitor residents, prevent incidents and automate administrative work such as documentation and reporting. - learn more
- Clocktower Technology Ventures participated in Mainstay’s more than $18M growth round alongside new investors Parker89, Stackpoint, Alpaca VC and FJ Labs, as well as returning backers Khosla Ventures and Era Ventures. Mainstay also acquired AI-powered listing platform Truelist and will use the funding to bring its real estate data, pricing and automation infrastructure to more brokerages, agents and smaller investors. - learn more
- Amboy Street Ventures participated in Evvy’s $40M Series B, led by Catalio Capital Management and joined by new and returning investors including Rethink Impact, Muse Capital, Labcorp Venture Fund and General Catalyst. Evvy will use the funding to expand its AI-powered women’s health diagnostics and care platform, beginning with fertility, while growing distribution through physicians and strategic partners. - learn more
- Second Sight Ventures participated in Fin.com’s $20M seed round, led by Expa and Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, with backing from Coinbase Ventures and other investors. The payments infrastructure startup will use the funding to expand its cross-border network through additional acquisitions and plans to acquire a bank within six months. - learn more
- Clearlake Capital, Mantis Venture Capital and Sound Ventures participated in Factory’s $200M funding round, which valued the AI software development company at $5B and brought its total funding above $400M. Factory will use the capital to accelerate research, product development and global expansion for its platform, which enables enterprises to build, manage and improve software using autonomous AI agents. - learn more
- Navitas Capital led Scaffold’s $15M seed round, with participation from D.R. Horton, Pulte Homes, Builders FirstSource and other construction-industry investors. The Austin startup will use the funding to expand its engineering team and broaden its AI-powered platform, which connects homebuilders, contractors and suppliers to automate scheduling, purchase orders and other coordination work. - learn more
- Halogen Ventures led it’s electric’s oversubscribed bridge round, joined by Wisdom Ventures, Future Communities, E8 Angels and other new and returning investors, bringing the curbside EV-charging startup’s total funding to $15M. The financing will support its rapid expansion, including a New York City contract to install hundreds of locally manufactured chargers across all five boroughs over the next three years. - learn more
- Matter Venture Partners participated in Delos Data’s more than $100M funding round alongside Matrix, Playground Global, Socratic Partners, Capricorn’s Technology Impact Fund and IAG. The Palo Alto startup will use the capital to expand its engineering teams and accelerate development and sales of its Nonstop AI infrastructure, designed to reduce network bottlenecks and improve the speed and efficiency of AI inference. - learn more
- Mantis Venture Capital and Gold House participated in A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya’s $5.5M pre-seed round alongside SV Angel, BoxGroup, Quiet Capital and other investors. Founded by Spotify’s former head of innovation, the startup is developing playful music apps that let users remix, manipulate and collaboratively create sounds rather than simply stream or generate songs. - learn more
LA Exits
- Headspace has agreed to be acquired by AI healthcare company Sword in a deal expected to close by the beginning of Q4 2026; financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition will combine Headspace’s mental health brand, global consumer base and network of more than 15,000 providers with Sword’s AI-powered clinical platform to offer more personalized and continuous care. - learn more
- Nasty Gal was acquired by WSG Brands for an undisclosed amount, adding the women’s fashion label to a portfolio that also includes Von Dutch and Allbirds. WSG plans to expand Nasty Gal internationally and into categories such as footwear, beauty, activewear and accessories while growing its direct-to-consumer, wholesale and licensing businesses. - learn more
- Converse Health was acquired by healthcare AI company Hello Patient for an undisclosed amount, bringing its back-office automation technology into the buyer’s platform. The combination will allow medical practices to use one system for patient communications and administrative work such as referral processing, chart follow-ups, authorization paperwork and medical records. - learn more
Kiwibot has quietly been testing its robots – specially designed to look cute and non-threatening – for the past few weeks in the Valley, as well as more recently at a major university campus the company won't yet name. If all goes well, Kiwibot will begin offering delivery to students through as early as next month before expanding to Santa Monica and other parts of the city after that.
"L.A. is going to be our most important city this year," Chavez said. "In the first five months of the year we plan to employ 100 robots here in the city, and we expect that by the end of the year we're going to have around 400 robots deployed."
Postmates, which is now owned by Uber, has been testing a handful of delivery robots in West Hollywood since April. While those are accompanied by a human chaperone, the Kiwibot robots set out on their own, though operators take over remotely for more complex tasks like crossing the street.
Kiwibot has already made over 120,000 deliveries since 2017 during rollouts at University of California, Berkeley, University of Denver, and San Jose, where it partnered with Shopify and Ordermark. But L.A., with its vast geographic footprint, is a whole new degree of difficulty.
"It's a great challenge for us," said Chavez.
Kiwibot chose L.A. because the city already has a high adoption of food delivery, it is home to potential partners like ChowNow and Ordermark, and the city has been a willing collaborator through its Urban Movement Labs (UML), mostly by sharing data on city streets and sidewalks.
"We trust L.A. to be the best new market for us because the food delivery habit is already there, and we feel backed to scale in an organized and socially responsible and sustainable manner," said David Rodriguez, Kiwibot's head of business.
After a confrontational approach between cities and ridesharing and e-scooter companies, Lilly Shoup, UML's interim executive director, says L.A. is trying to be more collaborative with delivery robots.
"I think we've learned that it's important for city transportation agencies to get ahead of new technology before they appear on city streets," Shoup said. "It's important to understand their business models and proactively develop policies."
UML is also working on a pilot to deliver goods via drone by 2022 and in both instances Shoup says the technology can help reduce pollution and congestion since most deliveries now are made via cars.
"It's really exciting to think about new ways to reduce the environmental impact of delivery," Shoup said.
Robots substantially bring down the cost of delivery, which could help restaurants that operate on thin margins during even the best of times and have been devastated this year. But it will also mean fewer delivery jobs, most of which have been preserved as contract work in California with the recently passed Proposition 22.
Restaurants typically pay between 15% to 30% on orders placed with delivery services like Postmates or Grubhub and drivers are hardly getting rich. In fact, they often make less than minimum wage.
Kiwibot charges fees of a couple dollars on each order – which can be absorbed by the restaurant or passed onto customers. The company says its cost per delivery is now $2.98 but as it scales and the technology improves it can shave the cost down to $1.23 by the end of 2022.
Right now, Kiwibot robots – which cost between $2,500 and $4,000 each – can only operate in a 1.5 mile radius but the company's next generation can go eight miles and is large enough to fit a 12-inch pizza.
Photo by Ben Bergman
Will the Public Accept Robots?
Even when the technology is ready, Kiwibot has what may be a tougher obstacle to overcome – public acceptance. Public safety commissioners in West Hollywood raised concerns about Postmates' robots and even in tech-friendly San Francisco, a city lawmaker, worried they might run into pedestrians, tried to ban them.
Kiwibot warns potential investors on its crowdfunding page: "Delivery bots have proved controversial in some regulatory environments with some cities, like San Francisco, putting out laws that make it difficult for us to deploy. If this became widespread we would have trouble going to market."
Chavez says he spends a great deal of time thinking about how he can get the public to be comfortable with robots.
"There is a sector of people that are concerned about robots and I think that it is very important to listen to them and to get their feedback on everything. but robots are going to happen," Chavez said.
The robot also has a sign affixed to the back to clarify that it is not recording any video, something that was added after homeless people in San Jose feared they were being spied on.
There is a "black box," which records in case of an emergency, but none of the devices have been stolen — so far.
Even though local regulations can allow for robots to go as fast as 10 mph, Chavez has found a speed of 6 mph makes people feel safer.
There are also important visual considerations. Kiwibot's robots look nothing like the hulking devices conjured up in sci-fi movies like "Transformers" or "The Terminator." They are more like a plastic cooler on wheels with lights on the front that resemble a smiling face.
"The new version is even more cute," said Chavez. "It's like a squirrel on a rock."
Taking a page from nature, the design is deliberately playful and small.
"When you see an animal and it is bigger than the width of your shoulders you feel threatened," Chavez said. "So we have made sure that the robot is never going to be wider [than you] so that people don't feel threatened."
Coronavirus has also been helpful, helping accelerate the adoption not only of delivery but also of robots – who you don't have to worry about coughing on you.
Competition with Bigger Robot Deliveries
Kiwibot, which is based in San Jose, has raised more than half $1 million from more than 650 investors in its latest crowdfunding campaign, to bring its fundraising total to over $3 million.
That pales in comparison to not only Uber but also much larger rivals Starship, a robot food delivery service launched in 2014 by two Skype co-founders that plans to rollout deliver to 100 universities by next summer and Nuro – an autonomous vehicle startup founded by two ex-Google engineers valued at $4 billion. The company received regulatory approval last week to operate on city streets in the Bay Area.
But with global autonomous last-mile delivery projected to grow from $11.16 billion next year to $76 billion by 2030, Kiwibot sees room for multiple competitors.
"In L.A. right now we are talking with multiple partners, very big companies," said Chavez.
"Everything is moving very fast," he added, as his robot inched along the sidewalk, heading back to the lab to continue more testing.
From Your Site Articles
- Amazon unveils its own smart grocery cart, in new effort to automate ... ›
- CVS and UPS Are Teaming Up For Drone Deliveries to Retirees ... ›
- Los Angeles Wants Drone Delivery by 2023 - dot.LA ›
- At UCLA, Robots Are Delivering Groceries, Pizza and Coffee - dot.LA ›
- BloomNation Florist Platform Launches Dig-In, Swigg - dot.LA ›
- Delivery Robots Comes to Santa Monica - dot.LA ›
- LA Restaurant Owners Are Taking on the Delivery App Empire - dot.LA ›
- Cartwheel Raises $1M To Take on Food Delivery Apps - dot.LA ›
- El Pollo Loco Launches a Backyard Drone Delivery Program - dot.LA ›
- On The Go LA Aims to Boost Local Food Truck Vendors - dot.LA ›
- Los Angeles Sets Rules for Delivery Robots On City Sidewalks - dot.LA ›
- Coco Joins LA's Delivery Robot Race - dot.LA ›
- Graze Unveils an Autonomous Electric Lawn Mower - dot.LA ›
- A Timeline of Robotaxis, Autonomous Vehicles in Los Angeles - dot.LA ›
- A Timeline of Robotaxis, Autonomous Vehicles in Los Angeles - dot.LA ›
- Wage Growth Outpaced Inflation In Los Angeles - dot.LA ›
Related Articles Around the Web
https://twitter.com/thebenbergman
ben@dot.la