What We Learned From TI’s Creator Economy Database

You may have heard about Patreon and Substack, but what about Splice or Kajabi? These are just a few of the startups focused on serving creators that make up our just-launched database of 50 private U.S. companies. View the full interactive list here.

This list sheds some light on the opportunity founders see in serving the millions of individuals trying to make a living from direct connection with online fans. Some, like Lili and Keeper Tax, are concentrated on the mechanics of running a solo business, such as tax services. Some, such as Foundation and OpenSea, leverage blockchain technologies to carve out new ways for creators to make money. And still others, such as Maven and Breakr, are focused solely on growing niches, such as online teaching and music.

They are attracting huge sums of money: Startups that target online influencers have raised at least $2 billion in the first six months of 2021 alone.

Among the initial takeaways: