Participant was founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll, with a commitment to producing entertainment with socially relevant themes. For two decades until its closing in 2024, Participant was a leading media company dedicated to entertainment that inspired audiences to engage in positive social change. Participant’s content and social impact mandate spoke directly to the rise of today’s “conscious consumer”—more than 2 billion consumers compelled to make impactful content a priority focus. Through its worldwide network of traditional and digital distribution, and aligned with partnerships with key non-profit and NGO organizations, Participant occupied a unique position in its industry to engage a rapidly growing audience while bringing global awareness and action to vital issues.
Participant produced more than 100 feature and documentary films that collectively earned 82 Academy Award® nominations and 19 wins and highlighted some of the most pressing issues of our time. Initially focused on film, over its last decade Participant expanded to become a multi-platform content company, annually producing up to six narrative feature films, six documentary films, three episodic television series, and over 20 hours of digital short form programming.
