Wayward

What Wayward does

Wayward is an AI-powered partnership marketing platform headquartered in Bellevue, WA, that connects brands, publishers, and creators to discover collaborations, launch campaigns, and scale trusted recommendations. The company serves three primary customer sets: brands seeking performance-based creator and publisher partnerships, publishers and editorial outlets looking to monetize trusted content (including premium partners such as NBC Select and The Strategist), and creators who can join the network at no cost. Its owned scale metrics — 2B+ tracked gross merchandise volume, 12B+ impressions, 60M+ products sold, 6,000+ influencers, and 2,000+ brands — position it as an established marketplace rather than an early-stage experiment.

Name

Wayward

Legal name

Wayward LLC

Website

https://wayward.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wayward is an AI-powered partnership marketing platform that connects brands, publishers, and creators to discover collaborations, launch performance campaigns, and scale trusted recommendations, serving over 2,000 brands and 6,000 influencers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Partnership Marketing Platform

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (541830)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Demand-Side Platforms (DSP) (BPAMALAB)

Keywords

• Partnership marketing platform
• Influencer marketing software
• Affiliate marketing platform
• Creator commerce platform
• Performance advertising technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellevue

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brand Subscription (Free tier): Brands pay $0/month to join. No base cost, risk-free entry with no commitments or cancellation restrictions.
2. Affiliate Revenue Share (5%): Brands pay 5% of affiliate revenue generated through the platform. Only charged when sales occur, making it performance-based.
3. Wayward Boost - Ad Spend Commission (10%): 10% fee on ad spend for the Wayward Boost product, which enables brands to scale partnership content through paid media on Meta, TikTok, and Google.
4. Amazon On-Site Video Production: Managed service for producing influencer videos on Amazon listings, starting at $500 per video with volume discounts available.
5. Creator Storefront Transaction Fees: Wayward earns a small transaction fee on each purchase made through creator-curated storefronts, net of creator commissions.
6. CPX Performance Fees: Budget only spent when campaigns meet ROAS targets. Guaranteed performance model where Wayward takes a fee based on successful outcomes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wayward is an AI-powered partnership marketing platform that enables brands to discover, manage, amplify, and track collaborations with creators, influencers, and publishers. The platform charges a 5% affiliate revenue share on sales and a 10% fee on ad spend for paid amplification, offering performance-based pricing with no upfront costs.

Product overview

Wayward is an AI-powered partnership marketing platform that helps brands and creators discover collaborations, launch campaigns, and scale trusted recommendations through performance advertising. The platform consists of two core products: Wayward Connect (a marketplace for partnership discovery and execution) and Wayward Boost (a patent-pending platform that turns creator content into scalable paid ads). Additional offerings include CPX (Content Performance Exchange) for bridging affiliate marketing and paid media, the Fluencer Fruit and ViralSauce tools for creators, Amazon On-Site Video services, Link Optimization Tool for publishers, and Creator-Curated Storefronts. The platform supports Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify integrations and charges 5% affiliate revenue plus 10% of ad spend for Wayward Boost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wayward Boost: Patent-pending platform that enables brands to discover partners, produce content, create co-branded creative, and deploy paid media campaigns across the open internet.
• Wayward Connect
• Fluencer Fruit
• ViralSauce
• CPX (Content Performance Exchange)

Products and services

• Wayward Connect
• Wayward Boost
• CPX (Content Performance Exchange)
• FluencerFruit Chrome Extension
• ViralSauce.ai
• Amazon On-Site Video Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Partnership ads drive 3-5x higher performance than traditional brand advertising
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability8 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered medium, core and minor.

• Martech RecordmediumGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Press coverage partner for Wayward Boost launch announcement and Partnership Media strategy articles. Martech Record published multiple stories covering the Wayward Boost launch and CEO interview on partnership media.
• The StrategistcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium editorial partner working directly with Wayward for brand content placements. Wayward works directly with top editorial teams including The Strategist to actively place brand products into converting content.
• NBC SelectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium publisher partner with direct relationship for product placements. Wayward has established relationships with top editorial teams like NBC Select for high-quality brand content integration.
• Meta (Facebook and Instagram)coreTechnology or IntegrationSubprocessor for distributing creator content as paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Meta provides audience targeting and campaign optimization capabilities for Wayward Boost campaigns.
• TikTokcoreTechnology or IntegrationSubprocessor for distributing creator content as paid advertising on TikTok. TikTok provides audience targeting and campaign optimization for Wayward Boost campaigns.
• Google (Ads and YouTube)coreTechnology or IntegrationSubprocessor for distributing creator content as paid advertising on Google Ads and YouTube. Google provides audience targeting and campaign optimization for Wayward Boost campaigns.
• RelumeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as a strategic partner on CPX page, representing collaborative content creation and distribution relationship.
• LYNQ Branding & MarketingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate and partnership marketing agency partner in directory. Helps brands with over $50M annual revenue grow through ROI-focused strategies. Drove 326% performance growth in 100 days.
• StonecutterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoutique Amazon agency partner with 12+ years experience providing full-service account management and PPC services for established consumer brands.
• eAccountableminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPerformance marketing agency partner with 20+ years expertise driving growth through affiliate partnerships with data-driven strategy and personalized program management.
• Oceanwing Service LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon marketplace agency partner, specializing in helping brands achieve marketplace dominance similar to Anker's success with expert strategies and hands-on management.
• VENDO, a PLTFRM companyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor360° digital growth agency partner specializing in Amazon, Walmart.com, TikTok Shop, and Target. $25B+ in driven sales, 400+ active brand partners.
• Ikon Digital MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon affiliate agency partner helping bold brands scale revenue and visibility through smart partnerships and full-service affiliate channel management.
• Logical PositionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE-commerce growth agency partner with over 7,000 active clients. Uses human capital, platform expertise, and partnerships to drive client results.
• Paul StreetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate and performance PR agency partner working with brands like HexClad, Todd Snyder, Liquid I.V. Deep expertise in Amazon affiliate strategies with SEO and data-driven targeting.
• Madison9minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoutique Amazon affiliate agency managing Creator Connections, Amazon Influencer, and affiliate attribution for consumer lifestyle brands.
• AmpliSellminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull-service Amazon partner providing end-to-end support including brand registry, listings, ad campaigns, inventory management, and review strategies.
• IG PPCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull-service Amazon PPC agency focused on helping clients scale profitably.
• WellblūmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoutique agency specializing in data-driven strategies and strong publisher relationships to source, recruit, and optimize affiliate and influencer programs.
• PBJayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull-service Amazon consulting and account management agency specializing in Amazon account management, advertising, A+ Content, and global brand expansion.
• FWinfluenceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon affiliate marketing agency headquartered in Shenzhen, China, dedicated to driving revenue growth through strategic partnerships.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IZEA: IZEA is an influencer marketing platform offering managed services and self-serve tools for sponsored content campaigns. Direct peer in creator/influencer campaign management and paid amplification.
• Impact: Impact is a leading partnership management platform combining affiliate, influencer, and B2B partner programs with performance tracking. Direct peer to Wayward's Wayward Connect marketplace for partner discovery and attribution.
• PartnerStack: PartnerStack is a partner ecosystem platform for SaaS and e-commerce, offering affiliate, referral, and reseller program management. Direct peer in partnership lifecycle management and marketplace infrastructure.
• LTK: LTK (formerly rewardStyle) is a creator-driven shopping platform connecting influencers with brands and retailers including Amazon. Direct peer in creator monetization, affiliate, and on-site video commerce.
• ShareASale: ShareASale (Awin Group) is an affiliate marketing network with broad merchant and publisher reach. Direct peer to Wayward's publisher-facing affiliate network and Amazon integration.
• CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction): CJ is one of the largest global affiliate marketing networks serving brands and publishers with performance-based partnerships. Direct competitor to Wayward's affiliate revenue share model and Amazon/Walmart integrations.
• Grin: Grin is a creator management platform focused on DTC and e-commerce brands for influencer marketing and gifting. Direct peer across creator matching, content amplification, and Shopify integration.
• CreatorIQ: CreatorIQ is an enterprise influencer marketing platform for creator discovery, campaign management, and measurement. Direct peer in AI-powered creator matching and partnership operations.
• Aspire: Aspire is an influencer marketing platform that enables brands to discover creators, manage campaigns, and track ROI. Direct peer to Wayward's creator matching and management capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk is a leading independent demand-side platform for programmatic advertising across channels. Adjacent to Wayward Boost's paid media distribution capability, representing the established incumbent in DSP infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wearewayward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/getwayward

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wayward