The team at early-stage VC firm Slow Ventures last week launched a $60 million fund entirely dedicated to investing in creators, with an eye towards helping them launch businesses. The idea is that the same entrepreneurial spirit and niche expertise that has helped creators build community is what would make them great founders.
According to Slow Ventures partner Megan Lightcap, it comes down to trust and audience attachment.
“What’s really interesting about creators is oftentimes they start [on YouTube], right? Because it’s the most obvious place to begin,” Lightcap explains, “But the difference between creator-led opportunities and what opportunities may exist for an existing brand is that, because the audience attaches to the creator as a whole person, the surface area and permission of what they can go build is actually much greater than, you know, a singular product coming.”
Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan sits down with Lightcap to dive into the unique way Slow Ventures has structured its creator fund, why YouTube remains the dominant platform for serious creators, how niche community trust translates into scalable businesses, and what this new fund means for the creator economy.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
- How this ‘new asset class’ has the potential to scale.
- The firm’s success stories so far, including Marina Mogilko’s baby snack company and other ventures.
- The parallels between backing creators and traditional seed-stage founders.
- The ‘key man risk’ and how investors navigate the challenge.
Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.
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