Epoxy grabs $6.5M to help video creators get to know their YouTube fans

Online video community management platform Epoxy has raised a new $6.5 million round of funding, the startup announced today.

Epoxy focuses on helping video creators keep up with the various interactions and comments surrounding their YouTube videos, which in turn may help create a bigger, more loyal fan base. The platform also offers analytics to help gauge audience interest and more. Epoxy is available to solo creators for a monthly fee, as well as to larger companies like YouTube multichannel networks (MCN) or big media companies.

Tools like Epoxy are particularly important to video publishers, who for years have struggled to generate enough revenue from YouTube alone to justify making it into a business.

“We understand that creators are incredibly busy and that brands and studios may not have the flexibility to engage with their entire fan base,” said Epoxy cofounder and CEO Juan Bruce in a statement. “[Epoxy] highlights and enables the most influential real-time actions that online video publishers can take to intelligently grow their video businesses.”

The startup said it plans to use the new capital to hire more employees and continue growing. Investors of the round include Upfront Ventures, Time Warner Investments, Greycroft Partners, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Downey Ventures, Advancit Capital, and others.

Founded in 2012, the Los Angeles, Calif.-based startup has raised $7.5 million in funding to date.