Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds is a Des Moines-based platform that matches consumer brands with everyday local creators rather than large influencers, then licenses the resulting content for paid, organic and retail media. Co-founded by Emily Steele and Charise Flynn, it reports more than 65,000 registered creators, 70-plus creator communities and over 100 brand customers, and in 2026 added an Offers product that ties creator content to verified in-store purchases. Nobody pays to be ranked.
Why it’s hereRaised more than $10 million in seed funding, per Newswire and innovationIOWA, and is the largest social-creator marketing company headquartered in Des Moines. Number 2 of the social media companies in Des Moines.
Who leads itEmily Steele, Co-founder and CEO.
Work they can showOLLY. Back-to-school creator push tied to Walmart, Target and Costco; the Walmart cohort reached 555K combined followers at a 12.28% engagement rate by reach.
Estimated: $1,000–$4,000/mo, typical for Des Moines social media retainers; not a quote.
Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.
A fit forFood, beverage, beauty and pet brands sold in retail that want everyday local creators to post about them and want to tie that content to in-store trial and verified purchase data.
- Based in
- Des Moines, IA
- Team size
- 11–50 people
- Led by
- Emily Steele, Co-founder and CEO
- Known for
- hyperlocal creator marketing · user-generated content · retail media · consumer brands
- Named clients
- Olly, MUSH, Portillo's, Ritual, MUD\WTR, Purely Elizabeth, Hippeas
- Best for
- Food, beverage, beauty and pet brands sold in retail that want everyday local creators to post about them and want to tie that content to in-store trial and verified purchase data.
- Selected work
- OLLY. Back-to-school creator push tied to Walmart, Target and Costco; the Walmart cohort reached 555K combined followers at a 12.28% engagement rate by reach. source ↗
- Estimated cost
Estimated: $1,000–$4,000/mo, typical for Des Moines social media retainers; not a quote.
Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.
Sources hummingbirds.com, innovationia.com, newswire.com · LinkedIn ↗
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