Jellysmack is a creator-economy company that takes YouTube videos from top creators, re-edits them for Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and other platforms, and shares the revenue; it passed a $1 billion valuation in 2021 after a third SoftBank round. Since then it has acquired other companies, bought the true-crime network Law&Crime, and in 2024 restructured and scaled back its Meta creator programme. Here are 15 things to know about Jellysmack in 2026.
Welcome to Alux.com, the place where future billionaires come to get inspired. If you are not subscribed yet, you are missing out. Prefer video? Here it is:
Jellysmack: key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016, originally as Keli Network |
| Founders | Michael Philippe, Robin Sabban, Swann Maizil |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Valuation | Above $1 billion after SoftBank’s third round, May 2021 |
| Reach claim (2021) | About 10 billion monthly video views, more than 200 creators |
| 2023 deal | Reportedly bought Law&Crime for $125 million |
| 2024 | Restructured: 22 US employees affected |
1. What is Jellysmack?
Jellysmack finds successful online video creators and uses data and video-optimisation tools to grow their audiences on other platforms. A typical deal takes a YouTube creator’s existing videos, re-edits them for Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok and splits the revenue. By mid-2021 the company said it had about 10 billion global monthly video views and more than 200 creators.
2. Who founded Jellysmack?
Michael Philippe, Robin Sabban and Swann Maizil, all from France, co-founded the company in 2016. Before it, Michael and Robin built the digital newsstand LeKiosk, which now operates as Cafeyn, and Swann founded The Sport Dealer. Philippe was later described as co-CEO.
3. Why is it called Jellysmack?
The company was originally called Keli Network. The new name was inspired by “smack”, the term for a group of jellyfish. A bunch of jellyfish is also called a bloom or a swarm, but Jellybloom is not nearly as catchy. Another catchy name is Alux, and if you want to show you are a proud subscriber, we have merch at alux.com/merch.
Aluxers, do not forget to subscribe to our channel for daily content.
4. Which channels does Jellysmack own?
Alongside working with creators, Jellysmack builds its own channels. Those named in its early funding coverage included Beauty Studio, Oh My Goal!, Gamology, Riddle Me This and Genius Club, and it later added House of Bounce, Crowned Ladies, Binge Society and Beauty Wow. In 2024 it said it was refocusing on its content business, naming channels such as Gamology and House of Bounce.
5. How does the Creator Program work?
Creators sign up for a programme where Jellysmack distributes and manages their content on additional platforms. One example is the creator couple Charles and Alyssa Forever, who said that a month working with Jellysmack paid as much as three months on YouTube alone. The company reportedly planned to use $500 million to license older YouTube videos, according to coverage in January 2022.
6. Which creators have worked with Jellysmack?
Clients named in our earlier research included Azzyland, Karina Garcia, Infinite, Reaction Time, Nate Garner and Brad Mondo, as well as the food YouTuber Emmymade and Like Nastya, who joined in December 2021 to expand her Facebook presence. The biggest names are MrBeast and PewDiePie.
7. What was the MrBeast deal?
In early 2021, MrBeast signed a distribution deal that put his YouTube content on Facebook and Snapchat. Michael Philippe said the team was “thrilled to be partnering with MrBeast to expand his online community”. MrBeast has since built a conglomerate, Beast Industries, that includes Feastables, MrBeast Burger and Lunchly.
8. What was the PewDiePie deal?
In January 2021, PewDiePie signed a multi-year distribution deal under which Jellysmack optimises and distributes his videos on Facebook.
9. How much has Jellysmack raised?
The company was funded early by investors including Partech and Interplay Ventures. SoftBank’s third investment round in May 2021 made it a unicorn, with a valuation above $1 billion. We have not found a confirmed valuation or funding figure for 2025 or 2026.
10. What has Jellysmack bought?
Its first acquisition was the video-editing startup Kamua in November 2021, followed by the YouTube analytics startup AMA Digital in April 2022. In March 2023 it and pocket.watch committed $25 million to kids and family creators. In May 2023 it made a multimillion-dollar investment in Fourthwall, and in June 2023 it acquired Rick Lax’s creator community Network Media. In October 2023 Dan Abrams sold his true-crime network Law&Crime to Jellysmack for a reported $125 million.
11. Does Jellysmack work with Pinterest?
Yes. In July 2022, Jellysmack and Pinterest announced a five-show original series slate. Emmymade’s content also appeared on Pinterest.
12. Why did couples perform so well?
In 2021 Jellysmack’s chief marketing officer said creator couple videos overperform because “fans enjoy living vicariously through their antics”. In 2020, the roughly 30 couples in its programme reportedly generated more than 10.3 billion Facebook views.
13. What happened in 2024?
In late 2024 Jellysmack restructured. It affected 22 US-based employees, with possible layoffs in France, and scaled back the programme that paid creators to post on Meta’s apps, including Facebook. A company representative called the changes “organizational adjustments to better align resources with key areas of growth.” This was a change from its 2021 growth phase.
14. Is Jellysmack still relevant in 2026?
Yes, but its model has changed. It has moved from one-off Facebook distribution deals toward owning content channels, news and true-crime networks, and creator financing. We have not confirmed any figures for 2025 or 2026, so the 2021 reach figures should be treated as historical.
15. What can creators learn from Jellysmack?
Our own view: do not rely on one platform. Jellysmack grew by taking the same content to more platforms, and its 2024 retrenchment shows the risk of depending on one platform’s payments programme.
Which of these creators do you follow online? We would love to hear from you in the comments.
Keep reading
- 10 social skills that will make you rich: skills creators need to build an audience
FAQ
What does Jellysmack do?
It distributes and manages top creators’ videos on platforms beyond YouTube, such as Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok, and shares the revenue. It also owns its own channels and media brands.
Who founded Jellysmack?
Michael Philippe, Robin Sabban and Swann Maizil, all from France, in 2016. The company was originally called Keli Network.
Is Jellysmack worth $1 billion?
It passed $1 billion in 2021 after SoftBank’s third round in May 2021. We found no confirmed valuation for 2025 or 2026.
Did Jellysmack buy Law&Crime?
Dan Abrams sold Law&Crime to Jellysmack in October 2023 for a reported $125 million.
Which big creators worked with Jellysmack?
MrBeast and PewDiePie both signed distribution deals in early 2021, and Like Nastya and Emmymade also worked with it.
Why did Jellysmack restructure?
In late 2024 it affected 22 US employees and scaled back its Meta creator programme to focus on its own content business.
Last updated: October 2026.
