What's happened
Creators are leveraging audiences built on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok to launch apps, venture investments and new businesses. Ivy Insights and BulletPitch exemplify a shift where creators own more of their value, while Hollywood anxiously watches this evolution.
What's behind the headline?
Context and implications
- The creator ecosystem is moving from passive monetization to active ownership and product-building.
- Ivy Insights argues that AI has commoditized product development, making audiences and community the defensible moat.
- Hollywood faces a recalibration as creators transition into software and startups, potentially fragmenting traditional studio control.
- The shift could redefine how media is produced, distributed and funded, with creators becoming platform-agnostic entrepreneurs.
Questions for readers
- How will creator-owned apps alter the balance of power with platforms?
- Will traditional studios partner with creator-led ventures or compete with them?
- What protections and revenue-sharing models will sustain creator-led businesses in the long run?
How we got here
The articles show a trend where creators monetize audiences beyond traditional brand deals. AvA and Ivy Insights illustrate how creators partner to build tools and co-found apps; BulletPitch showcases creators investing in startups. Industry data suggests creators generate substantial revenue but only a fraction reach high earnings, highlighting a push for greater creator ownership.
Our analysis
New York Post: profiles of AvA and Ivy Insights; CNBC: analysis of Backrooms and industry skepticism; Business Insider UK: overview of creators moving into film; Citi Bank report cited by NY Post on creator revenue. Direct quotes from Sukant and Alex Poscente provide flavor and validate the trend.
Go deeper
- What new creator-led ventures are you watching next?
- How might this shift affect your favorite creator’s independence?
- Could this trend alter how films and apps are greenlit in Hollywood?