U.S. Creator Funding Surges for First Time in Two Years

Venture capitalists are warming to creator economy startups again.

Funding for U.S.-based creator startups more than doubled in the first three months of the year to nearly $341 million, according to The Information’s Creator Economy Database. The quarter marked the first year-over-year rise since early 2022 and defied a continued slump in total U.S. startup funding.

Music startups and those formed by the creators themselves drove the rise. Dude Perfect, the five-person comedy group behind a popular YouTube channel of the same name, raised more than $100 million. Duetti, which buys the rights of independent musical artists, raised $90 million in debt and equity. International investments also rose, boosted by funding for artificial intelligence startups like London-based ElevenLabs. The increases show investors still see promise in creators’ influence over advertising and entertainment even as some startups shut down or seek buyers.