When we started Punchup we saw an opportunity to build something different. Not just another tech company exploiting creators for ad revenue, but a genuinely pro-social platform that aligns our success with the success of artists. And yes, we're using AI—but in ways that enhance human creativity rather than replaces it.

Why "Prosocial" Isn't Just Marketing Speak

At Punchup, we consider ourselves a "prosocial" consumer tech company. Every product decision starts with one simple question: How can what we build improve the lives of our artists and help their businesses?

This is baked into our business model. We only make money when our artists make money. No subscription fees, no upfront costs—just a share of the actual revenue we help generate. We make money if they make money, and we make more money if we help them make more money doing business better.

Building Multiple Products at Startup Speed

In less than two years, we've launched:

• A content platform hosting 300+ comedians and 5,000+ hours of material
• Advanced analytics tools that give artists unprecedented insights into their audiences
• A complete ticketing system through our Tixologi acquisition and successful integration
• A mobile app with personalized discovery and seamless ticket purchasing
• Marketing automation tools powered by data science

How does a lean startup build this many products this quickly? Three key factors:

1. AI as a Force Multiplier, Not a Replacement

While the entertainment industry panics about AI replacing jobs, we're asking: How can AI make our customers—artists, venues, creators—more money?

Our data science team uses machine learning to:

• Predict ticket demand with uncanny accuracy (solving problems like those Jennifer Lopez and Jonas Brothers tour prediction failures)
• Optimize posting times to maximize ticket sales
• Identify which marketing channels actually put butts in seats
• Personalize fan experiences while respecting privacy

The key: AI can't replicate the experience of communal energy at a live show. They tried with the Tupac hologram at Coachella—it sucked. Live entertainment will only increase in value as AI proliferates elsewhere.

2. The Tech Talent Opportunity

Talented engineers and product people who've been through layoffs or are burnt out from building products that optimize for ad engagement are looking for something more meaningful. They want to work where their efforts directly help artists succeed rather than just boost quarterly earnings. We offer that purpose, and it's allowed us to punch above our weight in talent acquisition.

3. Built for the Network Effect

Traditional social networks were built for peer-to-peer sharing. We built Punchup from the ground up for one-to-many relationships. This fundamental architectural decision allows us to:

• Scale features across our platform efficiently
• Create compounding value as more artists join
• Build tools that work for artists with 100 fans or 100,000 fans

Our Data Philosophy: Your Biggest Moat Is Your Data

Most platforms hoard user data and give creators vanity metrics in return. Likes and follower counts don't pay rent.

We believe your biggest moat to power your business is your data, full stop. Artists own their fan relationships, not us. We provide direct access to fan emails and phone numbers. Our analytics show real business metrics, not engagement theater. We enrich your data with privacy-safe insights from the broader network.

What's Next: Our AI Roadmap

While we can't share all our secret sauce yet, here's where we're heading:

Predictive Intelligence (Coming Soon)

Our AI will analyze millions of data points to provide custom recommendations across touring — from routing to pricing to timing. We're talking about dramatic increases in tour profitability through better predictions.

Content-to-Commerce Optimization

We're building models that predict which content drives actual ticket sales versus just engagement. Artists will know before posting whether that new bit will fill seats or just generate empty likes.

Automated Audience Building

AI that identifies potential fans before they know they're fans. By analyzing patterns across our network, we'll surface audiences faster and more accurately than any human could.

The Revenue Maximization Engine

An AI system that orchestrates every aspect of an artist's business—when to announce shows, where to tour, how to price, what content to release. All automated, all in real-time, all while the artist focuses on their craft.

Cross-Vertical Intelligence

As we expand into music, magic, live podcasting, etc our AI gets exponentially smarter. Comedy fans discovered through music preferences. Optimal venue recommendations powered by cross-genre patterns. 

The Network Effect That Actually Benefits Creators

Traditional platform network effects make the platform more valuable while making individual creators less relevant. A bigger network means more competition for attention, lower organic reach, pressure to pay for promotion.

Our network effect works differently:

• More artists means more diverse content and more fans
• More fans means better data and smarter recommendations
• Smarter recommendations mean higher conversion and more revenue
• More revenue attracts more artists
• Everyone wins

Building the Future of Live Entertainment

We're currently at over 751,000 monthly active users with zero marketing spend. Every bit of growth has been organic—comedians promoting their shows naturally promote our platform. This symbiotic relationship is exactly what we designed for.

As we expand carefully into new verticals, we're maintaining our core principles:

• Artists first, always
• Technology that enhances human creativity
• Business models aligned with creator success
• Radical transparency in how we operate

The Future

Live entertainment is one of the last things AI can't replicate or destroy. As everything else gets automated and digitized, live experiences become more valuable, not less. We're building the infrastructure for that future.

While others debate whether AI will destroy creative industries, we're busy using it to help artists sell out Madison Square Garden. The future isn't about AI replacing artists. It's about giving artists AI-powered tools to connect more meaningfully with their audiences and build thriving businesses on their own terms.

That's the Punchup way. And we're just getting started.

Want to join us in building the future of live entertainment? We're hiring engineers, data scientists, and product people who believe technology should empower creators, not exploit them. Reach out at hello@punchup.live

For artists interested in joining Punchup, visit punchup.live to learn more.