From brand deals to equity deals: creators want a stake, not just a fee
The creator economy is moving into a new phase: creators getting into companies at the ground floor through sweat equity or angel investing.
As the creator economy has evolved, it has moved beyond simple brand partnerships to actively engaging creators in higher-level roles. This new trend involves bringing creators to the executive level and offering them equity or sweat equity in companies. Professionals working on the infrastructure for this new revenue stream predict significant growth in the near future.
An example of this shift happened in 2024 when Alix Earle became a strategic equity investor in the soda brand Poppi. According to Kate McAndrew, co-founder and general partner of Baukunst, a venture capital fund, this trend has been gaining momentum since 2017. During that time, B2B founders approached McAndrew asking if there was any possibility of involving creators as investors. She explained, "How do you meet a creator?"
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