Whether they’re busking with hot tub or gaming streams, paywalling analysis on niche internet memes, or selling feet pictures, these creators are pursuing alternative ways of monetization. A flourishing ecosystem of startups is emerging to meet that demand, from app-specific editing tools to multichannel analytics to merchandising tech.

“With the internet and YouTube, there’s always the concern of being demonetized and having your channel canceled, so people are always looking for alternative ways to earn money,” YouTuber Joshua Wanders said in an interview with New York Times. “You never know where the platforms are going to take you at the end of the day.”

The creator economy refers to the numerous businesses built by independent creators, from vloggers to influencers to writers, to monetize themselves, their skills, or their creations. It also encompasses the companies serving these creators, from content creation tools to analytics platforms.

The current robust creator economy is propelled largely by the tools that allow smaller accounts to monetize their own work more directly. These include tip jars like Ko-fi, content-sharing platforms like Gumroad, and course-launching platforms like Thinkific or Teachable.

To help understand the creator economy and the opportunities it unlocks, we dig into: • What is the creator economy?

• The creator economy value chain and opportunities • The creator economy market map • How large is the creator economy?

• The biggest creator economy companies and the most active investors • What is the creator middle class?

• What’s next?