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§ Private Profile · NY, USA
Connects early-stage startups with global brands for pilot programs, acceleration, and investment, focused on digital innovation.
Key people at Evol8tion.
Evol8tion is an intermediary organization that connects early-stage technology startups with established corporate innovation teams to facilitate pilot programs, acceleration initiatives, and investment opportunities. The firm operates at the intersection of the broader technology startup ecosystem and traditional advertising, focusing specifically on digital innovation, streaming video standardization, and technology-brand partnerships. By bridging the gap between emerging technology developers and established consumer markets, the entity helps corporations integrate new digital solutions into their operational frameworks. The company has structured corporate innovation programs and facilitated startup partnerships for several major global brands, including Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Kraft Foods, and Procter and Gamble. Despite its history of working with multinational corporations to execute these pilot programs, available public data currently lists the organization with an employee count of zero. Evol8tion was founded in 2011 by Joseph Jaffe and Gina Waldhorn.
Key people at Evol8tion.
Evol8tion is a marketing and branding agency founded in 2012, specializing in innovative strategies for brands, formed by former Madison Avenue executives frustrated with traditional advertising limitations. It serves brands seeking cutting-edge, disruptive campaigns, solving the problem of stagnant creativity in a digital-first era by leveraging ex-agency talent for fresh, high-impact solutions. While not a traditional investment firm or portfolio company in tech/VC, it operates in the startup-adjacent marketing ecosystem, helping emerging brands scale through professionalized storytelling and growth tactics.[5]
Evol8tion was founded in February 2012 by Joseph Jaffe and Gina Waldhorn, both seasoned Madison Avenue professionals who identified a gap in innovative, forward-thinking marketing services. Jaffe, known for his provocative industry insights and books like "Join the Conversation," and Waldhorn, with deep agency experience, launched the firm to disrupt conventional advertising models. Early traction stemmed from their frustration with legacy approaches, positioning Evol8tion as a nimble team delivering bespoke, high-velocity brand evolution for clients in competitive markets.[5]
Evol8tion rides the wave of digital transformation in marketing, where AI-driven personalization and social commerce demand agile, creative agencies over rigid Madison Avenue holdovers. Timing aligns with post-2010s shifts toward influencer economies and brand authenticity, fueled by market forces like declining TV ad efficacy and rising creator platforms. By empowering startups and scale-ups with professionalized branding, it influences the ecosystem indirectly—bridging creative talent to tech firms navigating visibility challenges amid cybersecurity and software booms seen in parallel investors like Evolution Equity Partners.[5][4][6]
Evol8tion is poised to expand into AI-augmented marketing tools and metaverse branding as trends like generative content and immersive experiences reshape advertising. Expect deeper integrations with cybersecurity/software portfolios (e.g., via firms like Evolution Equity), amplifying founder stories in a trust-scarce digital world. Its influence could evolve from boutique disruptor to ecosystem enabler, scaling impact as brands prioritize evolution over evolution—echoing its name in an era of relentless adaptation.[5]
