Arcade Media, the management company behind The Sidemen, has announced a seven-figure strategic investment from talent- and IP-led group Lumina Media.
The investment marks Arcade’s first external funding and will “fuel its ambition to become the leading creator-first platform and build lasting IP that drives conversation and culture”. The plan is also to accelerate expansion across EMEA.
The investment from Lumina Media, founded by Thomas Benski, will bring both capital and strategic expertise to expand Arcade’s platform, helping it to broaden its reach into new markets, formats and audiences.
Founded in 2021 by Jordan Schwarzenberger, Sam Uwins and Aaron O’Neill, Arcade offers creative solutions for brands and audiences across content, community, and consumer. It has already demonstrated the strength of its creator-first approach through its flagship partnership with The Sidemen – now one of the world’s most successful creator collectives with more than 130 million YouTube subscribers and 40 billion views. Arcade and The Sidemen have launched six businesses spanning food & beverage, venture capital and content production, including ventures into TV, music, sponsorships, consumer products, and direct-to-fan membership platform Side+.
Benski (pictured) said: “Arcade is building exactly the kind of creator-led platform the market needs – where talent expands IP, builds brands, and engages consumers at scale. Jordan, Sam, and Aaron have already proved the power of their model with The Sidemen, and now we want to take it further: cementing The Sidemen as generational talent and IP with a truly global, multi-platform reach, while giving more creators the chance to become true entertainment powerhouses.”
Schwarzenberger added: “Our mission at Arcade has always been to unlock the true potential of creators, helping them grow from content makers into culture-shaping brands. The Sidemen have shown what’s possible when you combine authentic talent with ambition, and their journey remains central to the future we’re building. With Lumina, we now have the strategic platform to take this model further, helping brands scale their IP, to become truly creator first, and at the heart of global culture.”
At the heart of Arcade’s model is the belief that “the world is becoming talent and creator first”. By uniting creators, audiences and brand services under one ecosystem, Arcade says it is “shaping the next generation of IP-driven entertainment publishers that can help brands truly impact Gen Z and define global culture”.
With Schwarzenberger and Uwins spearheading the next chapter of Arcade, and O’Neill leading in-house business management services, Arcade and Lumina will now work together to grow Arcade across EMEA and beyond. The investment will accelerate Arcade’s ability to help brands become creator-first, access The Sidemen’s audience and expand creator IP into new formats and geographies.
Arcade marks Lumina’s 12th investment since the group launched in late 2024. Arcade joins a portfolio that includes Carrousel Studios (with Omar Sy, Louis Leterrier, and Cecile Gaget), Magna Studios (with Marisa Clifford and Davud Karbassioun), Strike (the global kids’ sports IP and brand), and Creators Corp (award-winning game studio) – together already generating more than $100m in combined revenues.
