Semafor Raises $30M at $330M Valuation After First Profitable Year
Semafor has raised $30 million in a new funding round that values the digital media company at $330 million post-money, marking its first priced round since launching in 2022 and following its first profitable year.
The three-year-old outlet, co-founded by former Bloomberg MediaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → CEO Justin SmithDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and editor-in-chief Ben SmithDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, generated $40 million in revenue in 2025 and reported $2 million in EBITDA. The new valuation implies a revenue multiple of roughly 8.3x and an EBITDA multiple of about 165x.
More than 60% of the round was backed by existing shareholders, with the remainder coming from a mix of institutional investors, entrepreneurs and media groups.
Semafor said the proceeds will be used to hire additional journalists and expand its events business, which now accounts for about half of revenue through sponsorships.
Semafor positions itself as a publication for senior decision-makers, with newsletters, a podcast and invitation-only events aimed at C-suite executives, policymakers and global business leaders.
Its live journalism gatherings, including the annual World Economy summit in Washington, D.C., sit at the centre of the company’s strategy and are set for further expansion into new markets.
The funding comes at a difficult moment for much of the news industry, which is contending with declining search traffic, the rise of AI-driven information tools and waning public trust in media. Against that backdrop, Semafor is betting that journalism tailored to leaders and institutions remains comparatively resilient.
The company launched with $25 million in seed funding and raised a further $19 million in 2023, partly to buy back an early investment linked to Sam Bankman-FriedDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
Sources:
The Wall Street Journal
Reuters
Image source:
Columbia Journalism Review
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