Canela Media Launches Silicon Valley Innovation Lab

Minority-owned digital media technology company Canela Media has launched its Innovation Lab in Silicon Valley and tapped ViacomCBS and Pluto TV alum Dr. Shampa Banerjee as chief product and technology officer.

Banerjee will lead the Innovation Lab, build a cross-functional leadership team across product management, UX and engineering, align underlying technology with Canela’s business priorities and growth strategy and ensure products exceed expectation.

Canela’s Innovation Lab, supported by the company’s $32 million Series A funding round, was designed to further explore the industry’s most advanced technologies such as AR/VR, AI, machine learning and Web 3.0 community-focused. tools.

Prior to joining Canela Media, Banerjee served as executive VP at ViacomCBS, chief product officer at Pluto TV and chief product officer of Eros Digital.

“Consumers are discerning—they know what they want and they know where to find it,” said Banerjee. “I am energized by Canela’s deliberate commitment to redefine digital media experiences for the Hispanic community. Our strategy to challenge our team to create products and services that meet and ultimately exceed the needs of this rapidly-growing, sophisticated audience is the opportunity of a lifetime. By allowing brands to advertise with trust and creators to collaborate directly with their fans, all Canela’s stakeholders will gain a real sense of ownership and belonging. This is just the beginning for Canela.TV, Canela Music and beyond, and I’m thrilled to be on this ride with Isabel and her brilliant and passionate team.”

“If Shampa had a middle name, it would most certainly be visionary,” Isabel Rafferty, founder and CEO of Canela Media, said. “Her wealth of knowledge and success in bringing game-changing products to market makes her the perfect fit to take Canela Media to the next level.” She added: “As innovation remains our primary focus, we look to Shampa’s deep experience at the intersection of technology and media to transform our business and our industry, and we are thrilled to have her lead our exceptionally talented team as we enter this next chapter.”