[alvivanco]

I used to believe that software for creators was a somewhat oversaturated space — and upon doing more research, I found out that I was wrong. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts.

Here's what I found out

Goldman Sachs estimates that the creator economy will double to $480 billion by 2027.

Technology has and will continue to play a huge role in this, as it has lowered the barriers to content creation.

Individuals are now free to choose which kind of work they take on (e.g. newsletters, livestreams, podcasts).

This has fueled demand, not only for content platforms, but also new services and tools that help creators manage their business.

What this means for startups:

Creators have access to new technologies and platforms through which they can engage their audiences and monetize their content.

Founders and VCs, recognizing the value of direct audience relationships, have focused on investing and developing tools to facilitate content creation, distribution, and monetization.

Some of the business models that VCs are paying attention to are:

B2B Services: this includes analytics tools, tools for managing communities and fan relationships, and services that help creators with operations (e.g. legal, accounting, or financing)

Premium Fan Experiences: platforms that facilitate the creation of unique, high-touch experiences for superfans. These can include virtual meet-and-greets, personal shout-outs, exclusive content, and more.

Education and Courses: Creators with specific expertise in can develop and sell courses or offer coaching and consulting services.

One of the most overlooked characteristics of the creator economy is that creators are in fact media companies, and these companies require services, tech, and infrastructure to operate.