RocaNews

RocaNews is a digital media company established to address the disillusionment with conventional news media among younger audiences. Founded in August 2020 by Max Frost, Max Towey, and Billy Carney, the company was born out of the founders' frustration with what they saw as divisive, partisan, and clickbait-driven news, a trend they felt intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three, who were roommates, quit their jobs to launch the venture, initially from Washington, D.C., before relocating to Manhattan. The founders brought diverse experiences to the company; Carney was an investment banker, Towey had worked at the American Enterprise Institute think tank, and Frost also had a background at the same think tank.

The company targets Gen Z and younger millennial readers, primarily those aged 18 to 35, who are often disengaged from traditional news sources. RocaNews operates on a multi-platform model, distributing content through Instagram, TikTok, two daily newsletters, a gamified mobile app, and YouTube. A core part of their strategy is to deliver news on platforms where their target audience already spends time, rather than trying to drive traffic to a conventional website. This approach involves presenting entire stories within social media formats, like Instagram's photo slides, using concise text, images, and videos to make the news digestible and engaging. The name "Roca" is derived from "Pororoca," a large tidal wave on the Amazon River, symbolizing their mission to bring people together through news.

RocaNews has diversified its revenue streams to ensure sustainability. Its income is generated from a mix of advertising, subscriptions, and video content, with each contributing roughly 45%, 45%, and 10% respectively as of early 2025. The company offers a free daily news round-up newsletter and a paid deep-dive newsletter, challenging the initial belief that young audiences would not pay for news. They also launched a mobile app that includes gamification elements, such as experience points (XP) and levels, to increase user retention. The business achieved profitability in October 2024. Significant financial milestones include a $4.4 million seed funding round in early 2022, led by tech entrepreneur Ori Allon. This funding event also involved the acquisition of the news tech company River, integrating its AI and Web3 technology to enhance Roca's platform. By April 2025, the company had raised a total of nearly $5.5 million.

Keywords: digital media, news for Gen Z, non-partisan news, social media news, newsletter, mobile news app, fact-based reporting, media startup, current events, journalism, Max Frost, Max Towey, Billy Carney, news engagement, media literacy, visual storytelling, subscription news, advertising revenue, video news, profitable startup