Participant Media acquired SoulPancake, actor Rainn Wilson’s digital entertainment media company.
Like Participant Media, SoulPancake creates and distributes content that inspires social change.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
"I created SoulPancake seven years ago with some friends to produce inspiring content and explore what it means to be human," said Wilson, who has appeared in The Office and Six Feet Under. "I’m proud of what we’ve built and thrilled to begin working with Participant in SoulPancake’s next chapter. Plus, they gave me a reusable, BPA-free water bottle and introduced me to Al Gore."
SoulPancake CEO Shabnam Mogharabi will become general manager of SoulPancake and report to Participant COO Sam Neswick.
“SoulPancake truly aligns with Participant’s model of creating inspiring entertainment that compels global awareness and action,” said David Linde, CEO of Participant Media. “Rainn, Shabnam, and their team have thrived by creating immensely popular, shareable, and optimistic properties that connect with a large audience, and together we look forward to integrating and expanding their digital video content into a global platform that is thematically and mission aligned and thus stronger and more successful together.”
Soul Pancake’s web series include Kid President and TheScience of Happiness. It has about 8.8 million social media fans and 1.7 million YouTube followers.
Participant, which earlier this year folded its Pivot cable channel, has produced films including The Help, An Inconvenient Truth and Spotlight, which won the Oscar for best picture.
“We would never have considered an acquisition were it not Participant sitting across the table from us – we are truly professional soulmates,” said Mogharabi. “Participant’s content speaks for itself – their films are meaningful, important, and powerful. We at SoulPancake know how to tackle ‘stuff that matters’ in an uplifting, unapologetically positive way. Combined, our companies will truly be a force for good in the global content landscape.”
