Live-streaming comedy platform NextUp wants to be the Netflix of UK stand-up

by Startacus Admin

Comedy at home - the lowdown on NextUp, the startup and video-on-demand platform that is the ultimate digital comedy club
It won’t have slipped your notice that the world of culture has changed rather a lot this year. The pandemic has also impacted us in ways we didn't see coming: comedy has evolved… and no face mask is required. New doors have opened for comedians and comedy fans alike, and startup NextUp Comedy is poised to drag us into an exciting new era.
Comedy clubs will hopefully soon return to their rightful place as the home of live in-person comedy, but a whole new market is now sitting untapped for comedians to live stream their shows worldwide. That’s where NextUp Comedy comes in, providing the ultimate digital comedy club.
NextUp is a worldwide subscription video-on-demand platform described as ‘The Netflix of UK stand-up’. This year it has seen a 173% increase in revenue and with streaming now normalised worldwide, it plans on being the go-to platform for comedy online, hosting live-streamed shows in addition to a catalogue of hundreds of recorded stand-up specials.
Daniel Berg, NextUp Comedy co-founder, said: “The last few months have quite frankly been rubbish and comedy fans have suffered long enough. But with live-streaming, you can get your laughter fix and that mild excitement/anxiety without even needing to wash your hands. Of course - nothing will ever replace being there in person. But virtual comedy is pretty great and NextUp is at the forefront of making it happen. Streaming live comedy online has always been NextUp's forte and now we’re about to go nuclear.”
Venture-capital backed,the startup has already generated £1.5 million in funding and are now looking to propel online comedy into the mainstream through extra investment. Investors can gain a slice of their pie by pledging as little as £10 at nextupcomedy.com/joinus or buying a VIP lifetime membership at the other end of the scale.
The money raised will also help comedians in the industry - half of every membership fee goes directly to the acts and NextUp also provides free rehearsal space and spearheads diversity initiatives.
In recent months, NextUp has provided a vital platform for comedians to continue working during the various stages of lockdown with 31 acts performing on their virtual stage throughout July.
Going out is so very pre-pandemic. Now it’s time to bring comedy to the living room.
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Published on: 30th September 2020
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