According to Business Insider, a group of 13 creator economy startups raised a combined total of nearly $2 billion in 2025. The biggest chunk, about $1.2 billion, went to eight different AI content creation startups, each securing at least $50 million. Major deals included London-based Synthesia and voice AI firm ElevenLabs, which both confirmed $180 million funding rounds. In social commerce, the live-shopping platform Whatnot raised a massive $490 million across two rounds, reaching an $11.5 billion valuation, while affiliate marketing platform ShopMy raised $147.5 million. This funding surge follows a similar pattern from 2024, with several companies like ElevenLabs and ShopMy raising money two years in a row. The analysis focused on startups whose products significantly impact creators’ businesses and workflows.
The AI Paradox
Here’s the thing about all that AI money: it’s creating a weird tension. On one hand, VCs are betting billions that AI will automate and supercharge content creation. Tools for AI video, voice, and images are getting incredibly sophisticated. But on the other hand, those same tools—think human-like avatars or synthetic voices—could potentially replace the human creators who are the heart of this entire economy. The influencer marketing world, which is still the main money-maker here, hasn’t even figured out how to use this tech properly yet. So investors are essentially funding both the future of creation and its potential disruption at the same time. It’s a classic case of “can’t live with it, can’t live without it” playing out with real dollars.
Social Commerce Is The Cash Engine
While AI gets the futuristic headlines, social commerce is where the tangible, near-term revenue is. Platforms like Whatnot, where people sell things live on stream, are proving there’s a massive market for entertainment-driven shopping. And it’s not just a niche; US social commerce sales are expected to cross $100 billion next year, fueled heavily by the rise of TikTok Shop. This isn’t theoretical. It’s cash changing hands right now. So when a company like Whatnot raises half a billion dollars in a year, it’s because investors see a direct line from live streaming to ringing cash registers. It’s less about replacing creators and more about turning them into super-powered salespeople.
Creators Aren’t Waiting Around
The most fascinating part of this whole report might be the footnote about MrBeast. While startups are getting funded to build tools for creators, the top creators themselves are acting like startups. The attempt by MrBeast’s team to raise $200 million at a $5 billion valuation is a huge signal. It shows the most successful players aren’t just users of this economy—they’re looking to become its dominant platforms and financiers. They see the leverage they have and they’re using it. Why just be a customer of a VC-backed tool when you can be the one writing the checks? This move blurs the line between creator and corporation and suggests the real power might eventually consolidate in the hands of a few mega-brands, regardless of what tools are popular.
What Comes After The Buzz?
So we’ve had two massive years of funding. What’s next? Basically, the bill comes due. All this capital needs to show returns. For the AI startups, the pressure will be to move from cool features to indispensable, revenue-generating products for businesses and creators. Can they do it without alienating the very community they serve? For the social commerce platforms, the challenge is scaling sustainably and proving those lofty valuations are justified by real, lasting profits, not just hype. The easy money phase might be ending. Now we get to see which of these billion-dollar bets actually build a durable business, and which ones were just riding a trend.
