Issa Rae Just Sealed a Game-Changing Deal in Cannes With HarbourView

Live from Cannes, Issa Rae officially announced that her company, ColorCreative, has partnered with HarbourView Equity Partners—securing major backing to scale her vision for content ownership and global storytelling.

This deal means ColorCreative, co-founded by Rae, Deniese Davis, and Talitha Watkins, is now stepping into a whole new league. With HarbourView in their corner, the company plans to ramp up its talent management division and original content production—all while staying true to its mission of elevating underrepresented voices.

What the Deal Means:

ColorCreative isn’t just making noise—it’s making moves. After doubling its revenue from 2023 to 2024 despite industry slowdowns, the company is looking to expand its global footprint. The new structure will kick off with projects already set to go into production in early 2026.

Founded in 2014, ColorCreative has always been about spotlighting creators of color, especially in TV, film, digital media, and branded content. This latest deal is about scaling that mission across borders.

Issa Rae put it plainly: this partnership lets them “dream even bigger” while staying rooted in what made her fall in love with storytelling in the first place.

Who’s HarbourView and Why It Matters:

HarbourView Equity Partners, led by Sherrese Clarke Soares, has been on the move since launching in 2021. While they’ve made headlines acquiring music catalogs, they’re now turning their attention to TV and film. Their focus? Investing in the future of culture.

Clarke Soares made it clear—she sees ColorCreative as a model for what bold, Black-led storytelling can do globally.

Why This Is Bigger Than Just a Deal:

• Representation with Resources: This isn’t just about diversity. It’s about funding the future of underrepresented creators at scale.

• Ownership First: Issa Rae’s not just starring in projects. She’s building them from the ground up—and now, she has the financial firepower to do it on her terms.

• Cultural Capital: With a global push, ColorCreative can now export Black culture and storytelling worldwide—on their own timeline, not Hollywood’s.