Playe

Playe is a content creation platform targeting the creative gig economy, a market projected to reach $450 billion in 2023. Founded in 2021 by Jonas Espvall, Mitch Brown, and Rob Older, the company was established to address the growing need for flexible creative resources, a trend accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The founders bring a wealth of relevant experience from senior roles at major tech companies, including Google, Adobe, and Salesforce. Espvall has a 13-year background in tech, holding leadership positions at Salesforce and Google. Brown has focused on taking new solutions to market for enterprise brands, while Older is a content and production professional with experience in the online video and tech startup space since 2010.

The company operates a freelancer management platform that connects enterprise brands and agencies with a global network of vetted creative professionals for services like video production, graphic design, and web development. Playe's business model is designed to streamline the process of engaging freelance talent, addressing common challenges for large organizations such as procurement complexities, payments, and managing a diverse workforce. The platform functions as a fully managed service, where clients are partnered with a Creative Project Manager to oversee projects from inception to completion. It handles all compliance aspects, including NDAs, tax, and worker's compensation, mitigating risks for its clients. Revenue is generated from the services provided, with standard payment terms requiring 100% of costs upfront to ensure prompt payment to freelancers. Brands can also bring their existing freelance relationships onto the platform for a reduced fee.

Playe's platform offers a suite of cloud-based tools for collaboration, project management, and secure payments. It allows clients to build a bench of preferred freelancers, post project briefs, and receive smart matches based on expertise and availability. A key feature is the reduction in administrative burden and costs, with the company claiming up to a 40% cost reduction and 90% less administration compared to traditional models. For freelancers, the platform provides access to high-impact projects, flexible work schedules, and an 'Early Pay' option for faster access to earnings. Having secured a pre-seed funding round in January 2023 from investors including Haymarket Media, Fuel Ventures, and 1in100 Ventures, Playe officially launched in the UK, Europe, and Australia. The company serves a notable client base that includes McKinsey, PwC, Dell, The Body Shop, and LinkedIn.

Keywords: creative resourcing, freelance management platform, gig economy, content creation, fractional creative teams, creative services, freelancer compliance, video production services, graphic design freelancers, global creative network, enterprise content solutions, managed creative services, creative project management, client-freelancer collaboration, talent-as-a-service, on-demand creative talent, creative production scaling, agency alternative, content localization, digital content production