The investment values Unwell at $500 million and marks its first institutional capital following three years of network growth, sold-out experiences, marquee partnerships, and an expanding slate of culture-defining entertainment.

LOS ANGELES, CA; Aug. 12, 2026 — Unwell, the media company co-founded by Alex
Cooper and Matt Kaplan, today announced a strategic investment from WTSL, valuing the
business at $500 million. The investment marks a significant milestone in Unwell's evolution
from a breakout creator-led network into a media and entertainment company shaping culture for Gen Z women.

“Trust has become the ultimate distribution channel and seventy million women a month
tune-into Unwell,” said Alex Cooper, co-CEO and co-founder of Unwell. “We’re scaling on all fronts, combining nimbleness, social-first premium content, and our understanding of culture to serve this highly influential audience. With WTSL's backing, the company is now also poised to accelerate our media platform’s growth through acquisitions and investments.” 

Beyond capital, WTSL brings deep strategic expertise, industry relationships, and a proven track record of supporting some of the most innovative companies and storytellers in media, including Omaha Productions. The firm is led by Patrick Whitesell, one of the most respected executives in media and entertainment, alongside Jason Lublin, who brings extensive expertise across mergers and acquisitions, finance, and strategic growth initiatives, and a background in building and scaling businesses.

"Alex, Matt, and the team have demonstrated an exceptional ability to anticipate where
audiences are headed and create entertainment experiences that resonate deeply," said
Patrick Whitesell, founder and CEO of WTSL. "The company's growth, audience connection, and cultural relevance set it apart, and we believe Unwell is uniquely positioned to help define the present and future of media."

Unwell was co-founded in 2023 by Cooper and Kaplan, who set out to build a media company designed specifically for Gen Z women, not adapted for them, but built for how they actually create and consume culture.

Cooper contributed the cultural fluency, built-in audience, and creator instincts behind Call Her Daddy, the most popular podcast for women globally, while Kaplan brought deep entertainment industry experience and production infrastructure as the founder of ACE Entertainment, whose credits include To All the Boys I've Loved Before, one of Netflix's most-watched original films ever and top-performing Gen Z series XO Kitty.

“As the premier media company for women, we’re collaborating with some of the biggest brands in the world on creator-led strategies,” said Matt Kaplan, co-CEO and co-founder of Unwell. “Brands realize buying paid ads or influence just isn’t enough in such a disparate media landscape. And, it’s difficult to find a platform like Unwell that meets Gen Z where they are on their terms. That’s something legacy media still hasn't unlocked."

The pair self-funded the venture from day one under holding company Trending, folding ACE's production, financing, and distribution infrastructure directly into Unwell from the start, giving the company studio-level capabilities that most startups spend years trying to build.

From the outset, Cooper and Kaplan prioritized creator-led storytelling over traditional top-down media, building around authentic voices rather than polished programming. What began as a podcast network has grown into a broader media ecosystem spanning podcasts, film and television, live events, consumer products, a charitable foundation, and a creative agency.

As the company scaled, the co-founders brought on seasoned executives from Microsoft,
Disney, Meta, and Netflix to streamline operations while protecting the talent-first culture at the company's core.

Three years in, the numbers speak for themselves.

Unwell's audience is 89% female, with 72% between the ages of 18 and 35. The company
commands nearly 100 million followers across its ecosystem and generated more than 1.7
trillion earned media impressions in 2025 alone. Its podcast network of more than a dozen
shows reaches millions of listeners daily, supported by a significant SiriusXM partnership and rapidly growing video engagement across YouTube.

Unwell identified a generation of women already reshaping culture, believed in them early, and built something worthy of their attention.

The company's ambitions increasingly extend beyond audio. In just three years, Unwell has
premiered Call Her Alex at Tribeca Festival, produced the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special on Disney +, partnered with Peacock on live programming from the Paris Olympics, launched Love Overboard with Hulu, and has a slate of shows with Netflix, including Let's Marry Harry (top 10 globally) and Icebreaker set to film this fall. Unwell also has a growing portfolio of YouTube-native series announced earlier this year at Brandcast as well as unannounced development projects with Hulu, Peacock, Amazon, and Netflix.

The business has expanded beyond entertainment into brand partnerships, live experiences, and consumer products. In just under two years, Unwell has introduced a beverage portfolio spanning energy drinks, hydration products, and stick packs, reflecting the company's broader ambitions to translate audience affinity into products and experiences.

Through a multi-year partnership with Google, collaborations with Sephora and Polymarket, and the launch of Unwell Creative Agency, the company has begun building what it believes will become a meaningful growth engine for the business. In fewer than eight months, the agency has already developed culture-first campaigns, custom experiences, and talent-led programs for partners looking to engage Gen Z women in ways that feel native to culture rather than adjacent to it, including Google's Get Lost in October 2025 and, most recently, Moving On, a new microdrama series created with Google Pixel. Get Lost became one of Google’s most successful advertising campaigns of 2025.

Perhaps most importantly, Unwell has demonstrated something rarer than scale: the ability to translate digital affinity into meaningful real-world participation. Through nationwide tours, spring break experiences, Las Vegas multi-day programming, SXSW activations, and other live cultural events, the company has welcomed more than 150,000 fans in person.

For Unwell, WTSL's investment marks the beginning of its next chapter, accelerating the company toward its ambition of building the defining entertainment and lifestyle company for women.

###

About Unwell

Co-Founded by Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan, Unwell is a platform for this generation’s unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation. Unwell Media produces experiences for the most sought-after creators and talent across pop-culture, lifestyle, and more.

About WTSL

WTSL is a distinguished investment firm renowned for partnering with visionary founders and pioneering businesses across media, entertainment, and sports. Led by Patrick Whitesell and Jason Lublin, WTSL leverages decades of industry experience, strategic insight, and deep relationships to drive innovation and growth for its partners.

WTSL invests in and collaborates with visionary founders and pioneering businesses that are shaping the future of media, entertainment, and sports. With over 30 years of experience, our leadership has worked alongside the entrepreneurs, executives, talent, athletes, and creatives who define these industries. As seasoned operators, we offer unmatched expertise, extensive industry relationships, and strategic insights that drive meaningful growth and innovation.

Press Contact:
Full Picture
unwell@fullpic.com