Cheezburger, the internet publisher responsible for LOLcats, FAIL Blog, and other memes, has raised $5 million in funding, according to an SEC filing. A spokesperson for the company confirmed the funding, in which existing incestors Foundry Group with Madrona Venture Group, Avalon Ventures, and SoftBank Capital all participated. No new board members were added.
Founded in 2007 by former journalist Ben Huh, Cheezburger has a network of fifty-plus sites that have brought internet memes and tech culture mainstream. Huh actually acquired I Can Has Cheezburger? and the FAIL Blog, and steadily built out its network back in 2009. The company has been profitable since its inception with revenue from three sources—advertising, traditional media publishing including books, and merchandising.
Last year, the company raised $30 million in funding. This recent round brings the total to $37.5 million.
More recently, Huh and Cheezburger hasvebeen the star in a Bravo reality TV show called LOLwork.
The new funds will be used to continue to build the company’s social humor platform, says a spokesperson.