In this article, I will share which instruments are the most useful for startups to achieve this goal and strive in the creator economy.

Meaningful partnerships with trusted companies

One solution that can definitely increase startups’ trustworthiness is partnerships with trusted market players. Such collaborations not only enhance the company's reputation, but also help to combine its industry expertise with ready-made tools that have proven themselves in the market. They give access to a wealth of expertise, technologies, and resources that might otherwise take years to develop independently. This also helps to boosting their credibility in the eyes of stakeholders.

For example, a VC fund operating in the creator economy field can attract leading real-time payment fraud detection platform. It will allow companies of fund to use the profound expertise to solve the problems of the creators' economy.

Communication with creators: immersion in their universe

Working with creators requires a deep understanding of their unique industry. For example, in 2024, about $160 million of the creators' income came from tips – this underlines that their economy is based on completely different mechanisms. It is important for startups not only to recognise these features but also to literally "immerse" themselves in the daily reality of creators in order to reveal their hidden pains and inefficiencies of processes.

Creators are often so absorbed in their work that they themselves may not realise which aspects of their work require improvement. Anyway, the end user should not know which feature needs to be developed by a fintech specialist. This can only be understood by the specialist himself, analysing the routine, goals, and problems of the consumer from his own point of view. Here, startups should act as this type of expert who is able to see how their technologies can make the lives of creators easier and more efficient.

For example, when a creator uses a payout card, it might just feel convenient. But behind it are systems that make transferring money faster, simpler, and more reliable – this is what fintechs are responsible for.

Focus on simplifying monetisation

For creators, monetisation is a central element of their activities. It defines the opportunity to continue to create despite its instability. However, trust in standard monetisation platforms of different social media remains low: about 50% of creators prefer to build their own financial flows, choosing more independent and specialised providers that protect their interests.

Startups working in this field should pay special attention to the flexibility and reliability of their solutions. Flexible payment and withdrawal options are becoming a mandatory standard.

Deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI)

AI has already become an everyday tool for creators, with one in three six-figure creators using it daily and one in four using it weekly. Now, AI helps solve routine tasks such as translation, text creation, and image generation. However, most solutions remain at the level of front-end tools, which the creators perceive as familiar and practical.

The next step for startups will be to deepen the integration of AI, making it an integral part of more complex and systemic processes. This can be the automation of financial flows, forecasting the audience and its engagement, or even the development of new monetisation models using the analytical capabilities of AI.

For more startup news, check out the other articles on the website, and subscribe to the magazine for free. Listen to The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast for more interviews with entrepreneurs and big-hitters in the startup ecosystem.