After successfully navigating the late-night landscape, Stephen Colbert has moved on to his tech founder era, starting with raising $5 million for his software startup Scripto. Stephen Colbert has been a well-recognized name in the talk show business and has entertained audiences for decades with his shows. But lately, he has been going through a transition phase where he has said his final goodbye to hosting and taken on the role of a scriptwriter, and is currently working on the latest Lord of the Rings project with Peter Jackson. 

Along with this, he has taken another drastic career shift as a tech founder and has been busy scaling his software startup.   

With the successful completion of a $5 million initial fundraising round for his screenwriting software firm, Scripto, former CBS host Stephen Colbert has started a new chapter in his career, leaving his 10-year stint on The Late Show behind. On September 8, 2026, The Hollywood Reporter published this announcement.

Colbert, his wife Evelyn McGee Colbert, and prominent individuals like J.J. Abrams and Mark Cuban contributed to the financing, which was spearheaded by Todd Steifel. With this financial support, Scripto will be able to reach a wider audience, especially in Hollywood, where it is used by video games, late-night shows, and award ceremonies.

With the help of the latest fundraising round, Colbert and his team can expand Scripto's capabilities and possibly provide more features specifically designed for narrative television and movies. Hollywood scriptwriting and collaboration may change as a result of the software's unique selling proposition. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Colbert is dedicated to making Scripto the industry leader in scriptwriting software, and as it grows its user base and market power, more improvements and innovations are probably in store.

“Jimmy Kimmel Deserves an Emmy”- Stephen Colbert Makes a Case for Fellow Host at Upcoming Emmys

As interesting as Colbert's pivot to tech founder is, the story of how Scripto came into being and what it strives for is far more intriguing.  

Stephen Colbert's dissatisfaction with the scriptwriting tools available at the time of The Colbert Report led to the creation of Scripto. The program's goal is to make the scriptwriting process more efficient so that teams may collaborate in real time in ways that are not possible with traditional technologies. Since its launch, the platform has been essential to numerous variety shows, such as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and The Daily Show.

Scripto has acquired popularity in late-night comedy and other entertainment sectors since its beta testing period a few years ago. The software's adoption by well-known brands and productions attests to its efficacy. It has been used by well-known programs like Saturday Night Live as well as important occasions like the Primetime Emmys. It seems that even after his departure from the late-night scene, Stephen Colbert’s presence lingers in the form of Scripto. 

Stephen Colbert Secures Emmy Nomination Following Dramatic CBS Exit

What do you think of Stephen Colbert’s new career path? Do let us know.