Top VCs Investing in the $100 Billion Creator Economy
“Creators are the new founders”
“What is the creator economy? It’s defined as the class of businesses built by over 50 million independent content creators, curators, and community builders including social media influencers, bloggers, and videographers, plus the software and finance tools designed to help them with growth and monetization.” Signal Fire
What is the creator economy?
Prepandemic the creator economy was not a space that many investors were paying attention to, two years later there are barely any that aren’t. A lot has changed during this time, one of the driving forces being how Millennials and GenZ see their working futures. Even though remote work gave people a new sense of freedom and much-needed work-life balance, it also inspired many to rethink work completely. The verdict for many was that the 9-5 life was not for them and they wanted to use their own passions, creativity, and skills to make a living. Now more than 50 million people globally would consider themself to be a creator. Making it the fastest growing type of small business.
So whether you’re a creator yourself seeking inspiration on how to monetize in this space, seeking investment, or an investor looking to capitalize this is most definitely an industry to keep your eyes on.
According to Signal Fire, the three top trends in the creator economy are:
- Creators moving their top fans off of social networks and on to their own websites, apps, and monetization tools
- Creators becoming founders, building out teams and assembling tools to help them start businesses while focuses on their art
- Creators gaining power in the media ecosystem as fans seek to connect with individual personalities rather than faceless publishers
What else can creators sell to monetize?
So the obvious and sometimes unclear question is, how can content creators use social platforms to earn money? Here are just a few ways Signal Fire highlighted:
- Advertising revenue shares
- Sponsored content
- Product placement
- Tipping
- Paid subscriptions
- Digital content sales
- Merchandise
- Shout-outs
- Live and virtual events
- VIP meetups
- Fan clubs
- Fan Engagement
- Online Courses / Webinars
- Newsletters / ebooks
- Merchandise
“As of March 2022, only 15 creator economy platforms have reached unicorn status in the last three years. Still, the category is now worth over $100 billion—with 200 million creators part of it—and growing fast. Anyone can now become a creator, including the 29% of American students who selected it as their preferred career choice. Of course that means the space is becoming fiercely competitive.” Antler
“As the creator economy enters Web3, platforms are becoming more transparent and handing the power to the creator.” Antler
Areas of Investment
VCs are investing in tools to help influencers operate and monetize. Here are some examples of the areas of focus that we gathered from SignalFire’s Creator Economy Market Map.
Related Resource: 14 Gaming and Esports Investors You Should Know
Content Creation Tools
- Video
- Photography / Graphic Design
- Motion Photos
- Music
- Podcast
Influencer Marketing
- Specialized Influencer Marketing Agencies.
- Influencer Marketing Platforms and Marketplaces:
- CRM Tools
Patronage Platforms
- Ad Hoc Project-Based Funding
- Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe
- Subscription-Based Funding
- Tip Jar Concept
- Ko-fi and Buy Me a Coffee
Other Opportunities
- Community Engagement Tools
- Finance Management Tools
Resources
- SignalFire’s Creator Economy Market Map
- Antler’s Investing in the $100 Billion Creator Economy
- The New Creator Economy: A guide on Web3 creator platforms
- Read the pitch decks that helped 13 creator economy startups raise millions of dollars
Top VCs Actively Investing in the Creator Economy
While some companies are now facing serious layoffs and others struggling to fundraise as per Crunchbase, “Funding into VC-backed creator economy startups has already reached $637 million as of July (excluding crypto and NFT startups).” When comparing that to last year’s $939 million funding total it’s still looking very favorable for the creator space!
SignalFire
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
About: SignalFire is a venture capital firm that invests in seed-stage companies and breakout companies.
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Recent Investments:
- OneSignal
- Ledger Investing
- Join
Check out SignalFire’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Antler
About: Antler is a global startup generator and early-stage VC that is building the next big wave of tech. With the mission to turn exceptional individuals into great founders, Antler aims to create thousands of companies globally.
Thesis: We identify and invest in exceptional people
Investment Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Recent Investments:
- Mast Technologies
- Upflowy
- Appboxxo
Check out Antler’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Forerunner Ventures
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
About: VC firm investing in transformative B2C & B2B companies defining a new generation of business, with an eye on the consumer.
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Recent Investments:
- Kinly
- Eclipse Foods
- Balance
Check out Forerunner Ventures Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Harlem Capital
Location: New York, United States
About: Harlem Capital is an early-stage venture firm that invests in post-revenue tech-enabled startups, focused on minority and women founders.
Thesis: Women or POC founders (no deep tech, bio, crypto, hardware)
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Recent Investments:
- Lami
- Gander
- The House of LR&C
Check out Harlem Capital’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Index Ventures
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
About: They are an international venture capital firm based in London, San Francisco and Geneva.
Thesis: Other firms invest in deals, Index invests in people. A deal is transactional. Relationships endure, and ours are based on curiosity, thoughtfulness, and deep conviction.
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
Recent Investments:
- Topi
- Vetted
- Footprint
Check out Index Ventures’ Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Jump Capital
Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
About: Jump Capital is a venture capital firm specializing in Series A & B expansion stage investments in technology and software.
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Recent Investments:
- Highline Technologies
- Spectral
- Pebble
Check out Jump Capital’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Lightspeed
Location: Menlo Park, California, United States
About: Lightspeed Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that is engaged in the consumer, enterprise, technology, and cleantech markets.
Thesis: The future isn’t built by dreamers. It’s built today, by doers.
Investment Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Recent Investments:
- Arena Club
- Mysten Labs
- Alloy
Check out Lightspeed’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Sequoia Capital
Location: Menlo Park, California, United States
About: Sequoia is a VC firm focused on energy, financial, enterprise, healthcare, internet, and mobile startups.
Thesis: We partner early. We’re comfortable with the rough imperfection of a new venture. We help founders from day zero, when the DNA of their businesses first takes shape.
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Recent Investments:
- Protégé
- Newness
- Draftea
Check out Sequoia Capital’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
MaC Venture Capital
Location: Culver City, California, United States
About: MaC Venture Capital is an early stage venture capital firm focused on finding ideas, technology and products that can become infectious.
Thesis: We invest in technology companies that create infectious products that benefit from shifts in cultural trends and behaviors in an increasingly diverse global marketplace.
Investment Stages: Seed
Recent Investments:
- Medu
- Love
- Petra
Check out MaC Venture Capital’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Night Ventures
Location: Texas, United States
Thesis: Our LPs are 50+ of the top creators in the world across YouTube, TikTok, Twitch and elsewhere. Together, we specialize in influence – understanding what’s popular, what’s trending and how to acquire more customers/fans of your product.
Recent Investments:
- Moonpay
- Pearpop
- Beacons
Check out Night Ventures’ Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Slow Ventures
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
About: Slow Ventures invests in companies central to the technology industry and those on the edges of science, society, and culture.
Thesis: Slow Ventures invests in companies central to the technology industry and those on the edges of science, society, and culture.
Investment Stages: Seed, Series A
Recent Investments:
- Juice
- Stem
- Human
Check out Slow Ventures’ Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Behind Genius Ventures (BGV)
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
About: Behind Genius Ventures invests in pre-seed/seed stage companies centered around product-led growth. Co-Founded by two Gen Z investors: Joshua Schlisserman and Paige Doherty.
Investment Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Recent Investments:
- Decaf
- Impulse
- Maca Payments
Check out BGV’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Crush Ventures
Location: LA and NYC
About: We formed Crush Ventures to focus on early stage investing at the intersection of media, culture, and commerce. To founders, we bring to bear our capital, operating expertise and powerful relationship network earned from two decades spent building Crush Music into a global powerhouse.
Thesis: We invest in founders building the future of how talent will discover, engage, and monetize fans.
Investment Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Recent Investments:
- Beacons
- Create O/S
- Splice
Check out Crush Venture’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
Freestyle Capital
Location: California, United States
About: Freestyle is an early-stage VC with $565M+ AUM & investments in 150+ tech co’s like Airtable, Intercom, Patreon, BetterUp and Snapdocs.
Thesis: We are high-conviction, low-volume investors and invest in only 10-12 companies each year. This gives us the freedom to work closely with founders, and holistically support our companies. INVEST EARLY & LEAD: We typically lead Seed rounds with a $1.5M — $3M check. STREAMLINED & TRANSPARENT
We make decisions efficiently and are 100% transparent with you along the way. SECTOR-AGNOSTIC: We invest in founders building soon-to-be massive tech companies across many verticals.
Investment Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Recent Investments:
- Spot
- Change
- Grain
Check out Freestyle’s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
TenOneTen Ventures
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
About: TenOneTen Ventures, a Los Angeles-based venture firm, invests in start-ups that apply data and technology to disrupt existing industries.
Thesis: TenOneTen Ventures is a Los Angeles-based venture firm that invests in underlying technologies that transform major industries.
Investment Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Recent Investments:
- Walla
- Cartwheel
- Vested Finance
Check out TenOneTen‘s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
GingerBread Capital
Location: United States
About: GingerBread Capital invests in the next generation of women founders and entrepreneurs leading high-growth businesses
Investment Stages: Series A, Series B, Seed
Recent Investments:
- Onward
- Nanopath
- Proov
Check out GingerBread Capital‘s Visible Connect Profile, to learn more!
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