The management company behind YouTube group The Sidemen has received a seven-figure strategic investment from talent and IP-led group Lumina Media to accelerate its expansion across EMEA.
The investment is London-based Arcade’s first external funding and fuels its goal to ‘become the leading creator-first platform and build lasting IP that drives conversation and culture’.
Founded in 2021 by Jordan Schwarzenberger, Sam Uwins and Aaron O’Neill, the platform offers creative solutions for brands and audiences across content, community and consumer.
The funding will bring both capital and strategic expertise to expand the company’s platform.
Since its launch four years ago, the business has helped The Sidemen grow from 1 to 50 employees and the duo has launched six businesses spanning food and beverage, venture capital and content production.
These include ventures into television, music, sponsorships, consumer products and the direct-to-fan membership platform Side+.
Arcade marks Lumina’s 12th investment since the group launched in late 2024, joining a portfolio that includes Carrousel Studios, Magna Studios, Strike and Creators Corp, which are generating more than $100m in combined revenues.
Arcade co-founders Jordan Schwarzenberger and Sam Uwins
“Arcade is building exactly the kind of creator-led platform the market needs – where talent expands IP, builds brands, and engages consumers at scale,” said Thomas Benski, founder and CEO of Lumina Media.
“Jordan, Sam, and Aaron have already proved the power of their model with The Sidemen, and now we want to take it further: cementing The Sidemen as generational talent and IP with a truly global, multi-platform reach, while giving more creators the chance to become true entertainment powerhouses.
“We’re proud to back visionaries like the team at Arcade and The Sidemen to seize this moment and capture the full scale of the opportunity.”
Schwarzenberger added: “Our mission at Arcade has always been to unlock the true potential of creators, helping them grow from content makers into culture-shaping brands.
“The Sidemen have shown what’s possible when you combine authentic talent with ambition, and their journey remains central to the future we’re building.
“With Thomas, and his team at Lumina as active partners, we now have the strategic platform to take this model further, helping brands scale their IP, to become truly creator first, and at the heart of global culture.”