What Mainstream Media does

Mainstream Media is a Chicago-based live video production agency founded in 2013 (with webcast services dating to 2012), operating as Mainstream Media, LLC from a headquarters at 400 N Racine Ave and a secondary office in Richmond, VA. The company delivers end-to-end broadcast-quality live streaming, virtual event, hybrid event, and video production services for clients nationwide, supported by an in-house broadcast control room capable of encoding NDI, SRT, webRTC, and HLS signals at ultra low latency. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Mainstage Chicago provides a 2,500 square foot cinematic studio with a seamless cyclorama pre-lit by RGB LED panels and a broadcast control room, available as a rental asset to external clients.

The business operates four primary revenue streams: event production services, technical event staffing, studio rental, and creative services, all delivered under a professional services model with quote-based pricing and free initial consultations. Go-to-market is event-driven, leveraging thought leadership content (blog, bi-weekly newsletter with 1,000+ subscribers, annual Event Trends Report, podcast appearances), case studies, and hosted studio workshops, with referral and direct outreach to enterprise, nonprofit, education, and event-planner buyers. Customer segments are served horizontally across nonprofits (virtual fundraisers and galas), corporate/enterprise (all-hands, town halls, sales kickoffs), event planners and meeting professionals, and entertainment/media clients.

Mainstream's headcount sits in the 11-50 range and the company is bootstrapped with no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing; it appears founder-led under Managing Director Nick Bacon with a leadership team that includes Director of Accounts Beth Norber. Operational signals include project managers averaging 100+ events per year, 1,072+ remote speakers tech-checked since January 2021, and 119+ clips posted from a single 6-hour Emmy event. Notable customers include The Valerie Fund, OctoberTV, Allied Media Projects, BPI Chicago, Marriott, SmashFly Technologies, Meals on Wheels, and WYCC-TV (PBS).

Name

Mainstream Media

Legal name

Mainstream Media, LLC

Website

https://mainstreamchicago.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mainstream Media is a Chicago-based live video production agency founded in 2013 that delivers end-to-end broadcast-quality virtual, hybrid, and in-person event production, technical staffing, and studio rental services to nonprofits, enterprises, event planners, and media clients nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Video Production Services

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

General Entertainment SVOD Platforms (MPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Live video production
• Virtual event production
• Hybrid event services
• Live streaming services
• Studio rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Production Services: Full-service live streaming and video production for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events. Includes technical production, streaming technicians, creative direction, and project management.
2. Technical Event Staffing: Supplying professional technicians and crew for events including audio engineers, streaming engineers, technical directors, graphics operators, and creative specialists.
3. Studio Rental (Mainstage Chicago): Rental of the 2,500 square foot cinematic studio facility with cyclorama, RGB LED lighting, and broadcast control room for video production and photography.
4. Creative Services: Award-winning creative department producing videos, graphics, animation, motion graphics, and post-production for live events, broadcasts, and conferences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mainstream Media is a live video production agency that delivers end-to-end broadcast-quality live streaming, virtual event, hybrid event, and video production services for corporate, nonprofit, and entertainment clients. The company also operates Mainstage Chicago, a 2,500 sq ft cinematic studio, and offers technical event staffing and creative services (motion graphics, animation, post-production).

Product overview

Mainstream Media is a live video production and streaming services agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of event production services. The core offerings include Live Streaming Production Services, Virtual Event Production, Hybrid Events, Video Production, and Corporate Meetings. Supporting services include studio rental at Mainstage Chicago (a 2,500 sq ft cinematic studio with RGB LED cyclorama and broadcast control room) and Technical Event Staffing providing professional technicians including technical producers, streaming technicians, and creative specialists. Creative Services complement the production suite with award-winning video and graphics production including motion graphics. The company has operated since 2013, serving clients nationwide from offices in Chicago and Richmond, Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mainstage Chicago: A cinematic film and photography studio in Chicago with 2,500 square feet of space, a full seamless cyclorama pre-lit with RGB LED panels, and a broadcast control room designed for virtual and hybrid events. It is a future-proof production facility supporting Chicago's growing creative community.

Products and services

• Live Streaming Production Services End-to-end production of broadcast-quality live streams for hybrid and virtual events, providing tools, talent, and technology for digital event creation to event organizers, audiovisual providers, and video production companies.
• Virtual Event Production Comprehensive virtual event planning and production services for virtual fundraisers, internal corporate events, and conference planning, supporting clients with end-to-end virtual event execution since 2013.
• Hybrid Events Production services combining in-person and virtual event components, enabling events to reach both physical and remote audiences simultaneously through integrated live streaming and on-site production.
• Video Production Award-winning video production services including event videography, post-production, motion graphics, animation, graphic design, scriptwriting, and corporate video production.
• Corporate Meetings Professional production services for internal corporate events including all-hands meetings, town halls, sales kickoffs, and company presentations, serving enterprise communications teams.
• Studio Rental (Mainstage Chicago) Rental of a 2,500 sq ft cinematic film and photography studio in Chicago featuring a full seamless cyclorama pre-lit with RGB LED panels and a broadcast control room, designed for video production, photography, virtual events, and hybrid events.
• Technical Event Staffing Supply of professional technicians and crew for events including technical producers, streaming engineers, audio engineers, technical directors, graphics operators, and creative specialists available for virtual and hybrid events.
• Creative Services Award-winning creative department producing videos, graphics, animation, and motion graphics for live events, broadcasts, and conferences, including preproduction and post-production creative services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10x ROI for virtual fundraising events (The Valerie Fund case study)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• OctoberTVcoreTechnology or IntegrationOctoberTV, an iconic video production company in Chicago, partnered with Mainstream to create a cloud-based production workflow when their client's biennial conference was threatened by the pandemic. The partnership resulted in award-winning remote production capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Freeman: Global brand experience and event production company delivering trade shows, conferences, and corporate events with integrated AV and digital production; broad incumbent offering end-to-end event services overlapping with Mainstream's virtual and hybrid capabilities.
• Production Resource Group (PRG): World's largest provider of entertainment and event technology solutions including lighting, video, and rigging for concerts, broadcasts, and corporate events; broad incumbent with overlapping live production capabilities.
• Encore Global (formerly PSAV): Largest event technology and production services provider in North America, offering AV, lighting, and staging for hotels, conferences, and live events; competes with Mainstream for enterprise event budgets but at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: Experience marketing agency producing live, virtual, and hybrid events for major brands with in-house creative, content, and production teams; directly comparable to Mainstream's integrated production and creative services model.
• Sparks: Global event and experiential marketing agency producing brand experiences, conferences, and live events with integrated creative and production services; similar in offering end-to-end event production for enterprise clients.
• Bluewater Technologies: Midwest-based audiovisual and event production company providing live event production, LED video walls, and technical staffing; comparable in offering technical event services and equipment in overlapping geographies.
• LMG (Lighting Management Group): National provider of audio, video, lighting, and LED solutions for live events, conventions, and broadcasts; comparable in offering event production with both owned equipment inventory and technical staffing services.
• OctoberTV: Chicago-based video production company that partnered with Mainstream Media for cloud-based production workflows; operates in the same local market with overlapping video production and live streaming capabilities for corporate clients.
• Vaniam Group: Independent agency specializing in virtual and hybrid event production for healthcare and life sciences clients; comparable in offering end-to-end virtual event production, creative services, and platform integration.
• Show Up Event Consulting: Event consulting firm that partnered with Mainstream Media for virtual events including real-time fundraising integrations; comparable in serving nonprofit and corporate clients with custom virtual event production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mainstreamchi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDB8W_sKoIgW4Zn6zBendyA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MainstreamChicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/livestream-chicago
• Instagraminstagram.com/mainstreamchicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Mainstream Media