Dose (Formerly Spartz)

Dose, formerly known as Spartz Media, operates as a digital media company that carved a niche in engineering and distributing viral content. Founded in 2009 by the then-college couple Emerson Spartz and Gaby Montero (later Gaby Spartz), the Chicago-based firm emerged from their shared passion for creating engaging online experiences. The company's business model hinges on a proprietary predictive technology designed to identify stories and topics with a high potential for social sharing. This data-driven approach allows its content team to produce articles and videos tailored for maximum reach across its digital properties, including Dose.com and OMGFacts.com. Revenue is primarily generated through advertising, including native advertising and performance-based guarantees of virality for marketers.

The founders' journey is integral to the company's DNA. Emerson Spartz began his entrepreneurial path at the age of twelve when he created MuggleNet, which grew to become the number one Harry Potter fan site. This early venture provided him with a deep, intuitive understanding of what makes online content shareable, a skill he later systemized at Dose. He homeschooled himself from age twelve and graduated from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business in 2009. Gaby Spartz, who was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, also attended the University of Notre Dame. Together, they launched several viral websites prior to consolidating their efforts into Spartz Inc., the precursor to Dose Media. One of their early successes was "GivesMeHope," a site for sharing uplifting stories. While Gaby Spartz co-founded the company and was recognized in INC's 30 under 30, she later transitioned to a full-time career as a Twitch streamer and personality in the Magic: The Gathering community, leaving Dose in the summer of 2015.

A significant milestone in the company's history was its rebranding from Spartz Media to Dose Media in December 2015. This change coincided with a substantial $25 million Series B funding round led by Tribune Media. This investment was aimed at expanding into new content verticals, launching a video studio, and further developing the core technology. As part of the deal, Tribune Media gained access to Dose's predictive technology to enhance its own digital properties. Before this, Dose had secured a $1.5 million seed round in 2012 and an $8 million Series A round in 2013, bringing its total funding to $34.5 million. At its peak, the company's content reached over 50 million unique monthly visitors.

Keywords: digital media, viral content, content engineering, social media marketing, predictive analytics, online publishing, Emerson Spartz, Gaby Spartz, Dose.com, OMGFacts.com, Tribune Media, content virality, native advertising, media technology, Chicago startup, content distribution, audience engagement, social sharing, digital advertising, media analytics