Electrify backs AI newsletter giant The Rundown

How big can a daily email newsletter really get in the AI era?

If you ask Rowan Cheung, the answer is over two million loyal subscribers and a fresh investment from a major media group.

Media investment firm Electrify has officially partnered with The Rundown, the world's largest newsletter covering artificial intelligence and robotics. Electrify co-founder and co-CEO Ian Shepherd described the outlet as an essential, trusted knowledge brand built on real expertise.

Scaling beyond the inbox

What began as a solo daily email by Rowan Cheung has turned into an undeniable media powerhouse.

Over the past few years, The Rundown has scaled to more than 2 million subscribers across AI, technology, and robotics. Along the way, Rowan built an ultra-engaged community, interviewed top industry leaders, and launched hands-on educational courses to help people actually use AI at work.

Under the new deal, Rowan and his team will retain full editorial control and lead the long-term vision.

Electrify is stepping in behind the scenes to provide operational muscle, shared resources, and strategic expertise to push The Rundown into new formats, new products, and broader audiences.

Why it matters

We think this partnership marks a major milestone for solo creators transitioning into institutional media businesses.

When AI exploded, thousands of curation newsletters popped up overnight. The Rundown separated itself by staying relentlessly practical and clear, cutting through endless hype for millions of busy professionals every morning.

Electrify is playing this smart. Instead of acquiring the brand outright or dictating editorial lines, they are keeping Rowan firmly at the wheel. For a newsletter built entirely on trust and a specific voice, preserving editorial independence is the only way to avoid alienating subscribers.

For readers, this means The Rundown will likely expand beyond your inbox into higher-production video, deeper research, and more robust training tools. The test will be whether it can scale rapidly without losing the punchy, hype-free daily curation that made it essential in the first place.