LOS ANGELES, Nov. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Popsmith, the premium popcorn company known for its innovative stovetop popcorn popper, has surpassed $1 million in its latest equity crowdfunding campaign, shortly after launching an unconventional X advertising campaign inspired by one of Silicon Valley’s most recognizable photographs.
The ad features Popsmith founder and CEO Tal Moore recreating the iconic portrait of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes holding a tiny vial of blood. But in Moore’s version, the blood sample has been replaced by a single piece of popcorn.
The accompanying caption reads: “I started a popcorn company. Things got a little out of hand.”
Inspired by the recent Nathan Fielder documentary exploring Holmes and the carefully constructed image of Silicon Valley founders, Moore decided to put a humorous spin on the famous portrait.
“There’s something ridiculously funny about taking the very serious imagery of Silicon Valley fundraising and applying it to popcorn,” said Moore. “We wanted to do something unexpected that would make people stop scrolling. The response has been a bit overwhelming.”
The campaign has generated hundreds of thousands of impressions on X as Popsmith surpassed its $1 million community fundraising goal on StartEngine.
Founded with the mission of elevating the at-home popcorn experience, Popsmith has generated more than $20 million in lifetime sales and served over 100,000 customers. Its products are sold through its own website and major national retailers and was recognized as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things.
Popsmith’s current StartEngine campaign closes November 16, 2026, and is expected to be the company’s final community equity crowdfunding round. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.startengine.com/offering/popsmith.
Media Contact:
Tal Moore
tm@popsmith.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2afb436f-4a1f-48e0-8aad-05512602dd72
