- Social start-up secures over $10 million in new funding
- Launch of SaySo, a creator-centric app, aims to deepen audience engagement and monetisation
- Caliber expands its portfolio, focusing on diverse revenue streams amid industry shifts
The News Movement, the Gen Z-focused social-led media brand, has entered a new phase of growth and maturity following a significant investment believed to exceed $10 million. This infusion of capital marks a transition from its early “scrappy start-up” days to a more established media entity under the new name of Caliber.
Caliber was created to oversee a portfolio of socially native brands, including The News Movement, The Recount – which it acquired in 2023 and specialises in US politics – and Capsule, a lifestyle and trends brand.
CEO and co-founder Ramin Beheshti, who previously served as chief product and technology officer at Dow Jones, explained that the formation of Caliber demonstrates the company’s evolution into a multi-platform media group rather than a single social media account. He described the development as a “green shoot moment” for the wider journalism industry, showing that it is possible to build profitable businesses that engage younger audiences and offer diverse products.
Originally launching in beta under the leadership of Will Lewis, now ceo of the Washington Post, in November 2021 and expanding a year later, The News Movement has grown its social media presence significantly, now reaching over one million followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, a 64% increase from the previous summer. Its brands collectively reach more than 100 million people per month, with about 65% of this audience under the age of 35.
This growth has allowed Caliber to increase revenues, particularly through native advertising partnerships, such as a recent paid collaboration with Skittles to highlight their work with Queer Britain. The creative studio segment, The Caliber Collective, which produces digital campaigns for prominent clients like Amazon, KFC, and Planned Parenthood, has also contributed positively to revenue expansion.
Despite this progress, Beheshti acknowledged that a focus on growth has delayed the company’s path to profitability. Whereas the original projection aimed for profits in 2025, the current outlook shifts this milestone to the end of 2026 or early 2027. The investment will primarily fund marketing initiatives and product innovation rather than significantly expanding staff, although the company is relocating to new offices in New York and London to facilitate greater event-hosting capabilities and creator engagement.
A notable upcoming development is the launch of SaySo, a creator-centric, paid consumer app designed to deepen audience engagement and monetisation. The app is planned to enter beta later this year, with a full rollout expected in 2026. Beheshti envisions SaySo as an “Apple News+ but for creators,” providing personalised, bite-sized news content that fits into users’ limited time and allows monetisation directly for creators.
This model draws inspiration from platforms like Patreon but offers curated creators committed to journalistic credibility and factual reporting rather than political affiliations. SaySo aims to bring multiple perspectives together in one place, providing consumers with a more comprehensive understanding of news stories.
Caliber currently employs 55 people across its New York and London offices, including significant editorial teams totaling 29 journalists. Investment into the company has come notably from UK-based fund Forta, which is backed by Qatari investors such as Sheikh Sultan bin Jassim al-Thani. Forta’s chief executive expressed confidence in Caliber’s substantial follower growth and long-term prospects.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/the-news-movement-caliber-investment/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.adweek.com/media/news-movement-rebrand-caliber-sayso/ – Adweek reports that The News Movement is restructuring under a new holding company called Caliber and launching a creator-centric news app named SaySo. CEO Ramin Beheshti stated that this move reflects the company’s broadened ambitions and positions it for its next growth chapter. Founded in 2022, The News Movement has expanded by acquiring The Recount and launching Capsule. The SaySo app, set to launch in beta this year and broadly in 2026, aims to let vetted news influencers create, share, and monetize content on the platform. Beheshti highlighted the shift in news consumption and the need for such platforms.
- https://www.streetinsider.com/PRNewswire/Caliber+launches+as+a+holding+company+for+The+News+Movement%2C+The+Recount%2C+Capsule%2C+and+The+Caliber+Collective+with+a+view+toward+global+expansion/25349646.html – StreetInsider.com announces the formation of Caliber, a new multi-platform parent company for The News Movement, The Recount, Capsule, and The Caliber Collective. Under CEO Ramin Beheshti, Caliber reaches over 100 million users monthly through its socially native, creator-led, and social-first brands. The company aims to define a new era of journalism in a digital-first culture. Founded in 2022, Caliber expanded in 2023 by acquiring The Recount and Capsule and launching The Collective. The launch of Caliber also ushers in a new generation of creator-journalists, with plans to debut the creator-driven platform SaySo in 2026.
- https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/17/3151537/0/en/caliber-announces-sale-of-15-9-million-perpetual-convertible-preferred-and-activation-of-atm-program.html – GlobeNewswire reports that Caliber, a diversified real estate and digital asset management platform, has closed a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor for the sale of $15.9 million of perpetual convertible preferred equity. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible into Caliber common shares at $250 per share. Additionally, Caliber has established and activated an At-The-Market (ATM) equity program with approximately $10.3 million of initial availability under its existing $50 million shelf registration. The capital raised will support Caliber’s business initiatives, including the continued accumulation of Chainlink (LINK) tokens under its Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) strategy.
- https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20241001141816/caliber-launches-new-qualified-opportunity-zone-fund-merger-program – Morningstar reports that Caliber has launched its Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund Roll-Up (QOF Roll-Up) program, offering a solution for investors who have not fully realised the benefits of these complex investment vehicles. The QOF Roll-Up has completed its first merger with a third-party fund, resulting in a $14 million increase in managed capital in Caliber’s existing QOF, the Caliber Tax Advantaged Opportunity Zone Fund, LP (CTAF I). The total managed capital in Caliber’s two QOFs now exceeds $225 million. QOFs offer investors the ability to reduce and eliminate short and long-term capital gains tax liabilities by investing in a professionally managed real estate fund that completes new developments impactful to the communities within each zone.
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231109512542/en/Caliber-Announces-Long-Term-Financial-Targets-for-Sustained-Growth-and-Profitability – Business Wire reports that Caliber has announced its long-term financial targets for sustained growth and profitability. The company completed its initial public offering on May 19, 2023. Caliber has set the following financial targets: cumulative fundraising of $750 million for the period 2024-2026, assets under management (AUM) target of $3 billion by year-end 2026, and annualised segment revenue of $50 million by year-end 2026. CEO Chris Loeffler stated that Caliber has $822 million in AUM and more than $2.1 billion in assets under development.
- https://www.adweek.com/media/news-movement-rebrand-caliber-sayso/ – Adweek reports that The News Movement is restructuring under a new holding company called Caliber and launching a creator-centric news app named SaySo. CEO Ramin Beheshti stated that this move reflects the company’s broadened ambitions and positions it for its next growth chapter. Founded in 2022, The News Movement has expanded by acquiring The Recount and launching Capsule. The SaySo app, set to launch in beta this year and broadly in 2026, aims to let vetted news influencers create, share, and monetize content on the platform. Beheshti highlighted the shift in news consumption and the need for such platforms.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent developments, including Caliber’s formation and The News Movement’s growth, with specific figures and dates. However, the exact $10 million investment figure is not corroborated by external sources, raising questions about its accuracy. The report’s freshness is high, but the unverified investment amount introduces some uncertainty.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from CEO Ramin Beheshti and other individuals. While these quotes are plausible, they are not independently verified in the provided sources, which may indicate potential reuse or lack of originality.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The report originates from a single outlet, Press Gazette, which is not widely recognised. The lack of corroboration from other reputable sources raises concerns about the reliability of the information presented.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative’s claims about The News Movement’s growth and Caliber’s formation are plausible and align with industry trends. However, the unverified $10 million investment figure and the absence of supporting details from other reputable outlets reduce the overall credibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The report presents recent developments regarding The News Movement and Caliber, but the unverified $10 million investment figure and lack of corroboration from reputable sources raise significant concerns about its accuracy and reliability.
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