Who Owns Donut Media?

Ben Conrad, Matt Levin, and Nick Moceri founded Donut Media in Los Angeles in 2015, initially as an advertising shop producing content for automotive clients like Snap-on Tools and Nissan. The agency margins were thin, so the team pivoted to making its own YouTube videos. The 2016 clip "Two Grannies, One Lamborghini" crossed 10 million views, and the 2017 debut of Up to Speed, the car-history series hosted by James Pumphrey, turned the channel into a phenomenon: the studio's audience grew 439 percent that year.

Donut built a loyal community around a deliberately accessible take on car culture, expanding into seven additional YouTube series, the Past Gas podcast, merchandise, and a premium collectibles line. By its 2021 sale the company employed more than 30 full-time staff and drove roughly 60 million views per month.

Under Recurrent Ventures the brand has kept its Los Angeles identity while gaining corporate infrastructure. Donut expanded into live events including the annual Donut Cruise-In at the Petersen Automotive Museum, launched secondary channels such as Real Mechanic Stuff, and in May 2026 began streaming its HiLow series on Tubi. Management transitioned from founder Levin to general manager Colby Mann in early 2025, with longtime editor-in-chief figures like Nolan Sykes continuing to anchor the editorial product.