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Read 46 pitch decks that creator-economy startups used to raise millions of dollars

by with No Comment Xpandfy

The creator economy has bred a generation of startups — from influencer-marketing companies to new social-media experiences.

These startups have captured the attention and wallets of influential venture capitalists and angel investors over the last several years, giving rise to several unicorn valuations in the space.

Check out 16 VC firms investing in creator economy startups

Even as the economy has weathered changing tides and investments have cooled across industries, some startups in this sector are still raising money.

In 2024, three trends drove some of the largest deals in the creator economy: AI, social commerce, and newsletters. Several startups raised at least $10 million in new funding last year, such as AI startup Captions or newsletter platform Beehiiv.

Here are 17 creator-economy startups that raised more than $10 million in 2024

AI is continuing to fuel investor interest in the creator economy in 2025, too. For instance, Hedra, a generative AI startup used by some creators to make viral content, announced a $32 million Series A led by A16z in May.

Creators themselves, like Emma Chamberlain and MrBeast, are also raising venture capital for their businesses.

See the leaked pitch deck Chamberlain Coffee used

So, how do creator-economy startups land those investments? Often, it starts with a pitch deck. 

Lumanu, a creator-focused financial startup, uses a simple pitch deck that’s more of a “conversation guider,” its cofounder and CEO, Tony Tran, told Business Insider.

“My pitch is always why, what, how, and why now?” Tran said. (Read the full pitch deck here.)

Skye, a career-coaching startup, had different pitch decks depending on the type of investor or fund they pitched to.

“I had two different versions, depending on the fund,” said Jessica Wolf, Skye’s CEO and one of its cofounders. “If I knew a fund was more into pre-seed, all about the founder, I had one deck. But if I knew that they were a numbers person, I would use another one.”

Every startup has a different approach.

Some, such as Throne, even ditch the pitch deck altogether and opt for an email or Notion document.

Read the email template creator-economy startup Throne used to secure its seed investment.

We talked with founders who’ve pitched their startups to investors about their process. They broke down the pitch decks they used to secure millions of dollars in funding.

Read the pitch decks that helped 46 creator-focused startups fundraise millions of dollars:

Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.

Series A

  • Restream, a livestreaming alternative to platforms like the Amazon-owned Twitch: $50 million Series A (14 pages)
  • Hedra, a generative AI video platform: $32 million Series A (9 pages)
  • Dub, a fintech startup that lets people copy influencers’ stock trades: $30 million Series A (15 pages)
  • ShopMy, an affiliate platform that lets creators earn commissions through shoppable landing pages: $26.5 million Series A (23 pages)
  • Posh, an IRL events startup: $22 million Series A (12 pages)
  • Pearpop, a creator-marketing platform: $18 million Series A (18 pages)
  • Spoon Radio, a social-audio startup: $17 million Series A (15 pages)
  • Kyra, a content studio, talent-management firm, and influencer-marketing platform: $15 million Series A (20 pages)
  • Allstar, a startup helping gamers become social-media creators: $12 million Series A (6 pages)
  • Lumanu, a business-solutions platform for creators: $12 million Series A (8 pages)
  • Hype, a platform for link-in-bio and other creator-monetization tools: $10 million Series A (13 pages)
  • Catch+Release, a startup that helps creators and everyday social-media users license their content to brands: $8.8 million Series A (12 pages)
  • Slip.stream, a music startup focused on gamers: $7.5 million Series A (13 pages)
  • Brag House, an esports startup: $5 million Series A (24 pages)
  • CreatorDB, an influencer marketing company: $4.7 million Series A (13 pages)

Seed

  • Linguana, an AI video translation startup that is targeting YouTubers: $8.5 million (13 pages)
  • AvatarOS, a startup building virtual avatars for social media, gaming, and other immersive experiences: $7 million (11 pages)
  • Hypernatural, a generative AI startup that wants to be the Canva for video: $6.8 million (14 pages)
  • Scenario, a generative AI startup to create gaming art and assets: $6 million seed (8 pages)
  • Sesh, a music startup that connects artists and fans using their mobile wallets: $5 million seed (13 pages)
  • Authoritive, an online course-development startup: $5 million seed (11 pages)
  • Dstlry, a comic-book creator startup: $5 million seed (26 pages)
  • Dharma, a travel startup for creators and brands: $4.7 million pre-Series A (17 pages)
  • Glystn, an AI-powered community-management platform: $4 million seed (15 pages)
  • Daisy, an influencer marketing startup that launched in 2024: $3.9 million (9 pages)
  • Anima, an augmented-reality startup: $3 million (15 pages)
  • Grandstand, a sports startup working with athlete creators: $2.75 million
  • Seam Social, a new Web3 social-media platform: $2.5 million (10 pages)
  • Spark, a digital art platform from the YouTuber Moriah Elizabeth: $2.5 million seed (9 pages)
  • Insense, a startup helping e-commerce brands get low-cost ads: $2.5 million pre-Series A (9 pages)
  • Supercast, a podcast subscriptions startup: $2 million seed (20 pages)
  • Chartmetric, a music-data and -measurement company: $2 million seed (46 pages)
  • Ultimate Playlist, a music-marketing startup: $2 million round (9 pages)
  • Magroove, a music-distribution and -discovery platform: $1.6 million seed (21 pages)
  • Stagetime, a professional-networking startup for performing artists: $1.5 million seed (13 pages)
  • Jubilee Media, a content studio looking to expand beyond YouTube and TikTok: $1.1 million seed-plus (12 pages)

Pre-Seed

Other




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Read the pitch decks of 14 startups looking to disrupt dating apps and social networking that have raised millions

by with No Comment Xpandfy

A new generation of consumer social startups is emerging.

From platforms focused on getting people to meet IRL to dating apps taking on Tinder or Hinge, startups are disrupting the digital social scene.

Founders of these startups are tackling problems like loneliness, dating app fatigue, and general dissatisfaction with the current social media incumbents.

Some founders come from Big Tech backgrounds, like the Instagram-heavy team behind photo-sharing app Retro, or the ex-Google employees building the social-mapping app PamPam. Gen Z founders are also throwing their hats in the ring, like Isabella Epstein’s IRL-focused app Kndrd, or Tiffany “TZ” Zhong’s Noplace app.

Investors are taking notice.

For instance, the IRL-social app 222, which matches strangers over dinner or activities with a personality quiz, raised a $2.5 million seed round from venture capital firms like 1517 Fund, General Catalyst, and Best Nights VC in 2024.

“We’re entering this new wave of social where people are trying to revert back to what people really use these platforms for to begin with — which is connection,” Maitree Mervana Parekh, a principal at Acrew Capital, told Business Insider in 2024.

Meet 19 startups in social networking, dating, and AI that investors have their eyes on

Some venture capital funds — such as French firm Intuition VC or gaming-focused firm Patron — have made tackling loneliness and relationships part of their investment theses.

But it’s not just friendship and dating that are ripe for disruption.

Startups like Khosla Ventures-backed Gigi, Yale-student-founded Series, Boardy, Filament, and Goodword have raised capital for AI tools to help people network better or maintain professional relationships.

“When people think about loneliness, they think about friends and family,” Goodword CEO Caroline Dell recently told Business Insider. “But we spend most of our waking hours at work as professionals.”

Meet the founders of 11 startups competing with dating app giants like Tinder

Other startups, like Diem and Spill, have opened up investment rounds to include users themselves using the platform Wefunder.

It’s not yet clear how many of these investments will pan out. Some startups are pre-revenue, while others are experimenting with monetization methods (such as freemium models).

“Founders have to be honest with themselves,” said Marlon Nichols, a founding partner at Mac Venture Capital. “Some of them aren’t really venture-scale or venture-type investments. We’re looking for the next big thing, the next category leader.”

Meet 12 VCs and investors eyeing new social startups

Business Insider spoke with several social media and dating app founders about how they are raising capital, including the pitch decks they used to raise millions of dollars.

Read the pitch decks that helped 14 social-networking and dating startups raise millions of dollars:

Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.

Series A

Seed

Pre-Seed

Other

Read about more social networking and dating startups raising millions:

  • Airbuds, a social music app, told Business Insider in November that it has raised $10.2 million — including a recent check from Alexis Ohanian’s VC fund.
  • Sweatpals, a fitness and wellness social platform, raised $12 million in seed funding.
  • Sitch, an AI matchmaking dating app, announced in April that it had raised $2 million in pre-seed funding.
  • Amata, another AI matchmaking dating startup, recently launched in the US and disclosed that it raised $6 million in 2023.
  • Gigi, an AI social network for making professional connections, announced in September that it raised $3 million from Khosla Ventures.
  • Corner, a social mapping app for Gen Z, disclosed in September that it has raised $3.75 million.




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I sold my company for hundreds of millions and have more money than I’d ever need. Yet at 66, I have no plans to retire.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with David Chung, owner and chairman of Amare Global. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I couldn’t believe there was a banana just sitting on the kitchen table. In Korea, having a banana was a big deal, but when I immigrated to New York City at 12, we had fruit and even M&Ms. Everything was so luxurious.


David Chung and mom

David Chung and his mom moved to New York.

Courtesy of David Chung



My mother immigrated to the US in 1963 with less than $100. When she arrived in New York, she started a small, mom-and-pop gift shop. She grew the business through and eventually got her green card. I joined her about eight years later, in the middle of a New York winter. I didn’t speak the language, but I felt lucky to be in the US.

I decided to get into cosmetics after watching my mom’s business

My mother continued to grow her store, expanding into a drugstore and pharmacy. By the early 2000s, she had a business worth tens of millions.

She was very, very entrepreneurial. Watching her journey inspired me and has carried over even today. I have a lot of her DNA when it comes to business. Now that I’m 66, I’ll think, “I’m just like my mother!” It’s scary.

My mom’s business set the stage for mine. Working in her shop, I saw that beauty products provided a great business opportunity. The products are small, which reduces warehousing and shipping costs. They’re consumable, so customers return again and again. And even if the economy is bad, people don’t give up on their skin.

I started my first business at 23

I went to college, but I found it difficult to concentrate because I was always thinking about starting my business. Even today, I don’t drive much because I get so distracted thinking about running my companies (instead, I use a driver). Eventually, I graduated with a degree in engineering.

Right next to my school, there was a small video rental store. These were the days before Blockbuster. I bought that store when I was 23, and expanded it slowly to sell gifts and cosmetics.


David Chung in his first business

David Chung started his business at the age of 23.

Courtesy of David Chung



That was my start in business. Other than my mom, I’ve never worked for anyone else. That meant I had to learn hard lessons about business structure, processes, and systems on my own.

I have more money than I could ever spend, but still love building businesses

Over time, I pivoted from retail to research, design, and manufacturing. In 2018, I sold my shares in one company for $53.7 million. In 2021, I sold my company, Farmacy Beauty, for hundreds of millions (I’m not allowed to share the specific amount). I remember being at my computer on December 31st, watching the funds being deposited into my account. I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t think “I’m rich now.” I didn’t even go out to dinner to celebrate.

Entrepreneurship has never been about money for me. It’s more about the accomplishment and excitement of building something. I remember the first time I was in a room with people who had more credentials than me. I came up with an idea they hadn’t considered. That’s the first time I realized that I had a different way of thinking about things.

I have a huge amount of money now — I could never spend it all. And yet, when those funds hit my account, I didn’t buy a Rolex or a fancy car. I went out and bought another company to run.

I want to build wealth in order to give back

Recently, I told an employee that I’m going to retire in three years. She laughed and said I told her the same thing 15 years ago.

I don’t think I will ever retire fully. God has given me a talent for being business-minded and good at what I’m doing. I want to utilize that as long as I’m able to.

My mother was very passionate about giving back, particularly to the Korean American community. I figure the more money I make, the more I can give back. So, why not use this skill?




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