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Ex-YouTube director launches Next 10 Ventures, a $50 million fund to support rising online creators

Ex-YouTube director launches Next 10 Ventures, a $50 million fund to support rising online creators

A former YouTube exec has kickstarted a project to invest in the social media influencers of tomorrow. Next 10 Ventures is a vertically integrated operational fund for influencers and creators, and the company will aim to give new talent the stability and guidance to make their work sustainable.

Influencer marketing is one of the most lucrative avenues for brands right now, and online creators have never been so valuable. Next 10 Ventures hopes to accelerate the growth of these stars and aid them in their journey.

The company will be headed by CEO and founder Ben Grubbs, who has a rich background of creator management. Prior to founding Next 10 he oversaw growth and management among YouTube's top-tier partners, as well as having a large hand in launching YouTube Kids.

He's joined by Paul Condolora, a former Warner Bros. executive who oversaw brand lisencing for the Harry Potter franchise.

Building the future

“Over the past five years, I have seen firsthand the immense growth of the Creator economy in terms of reach, consumer engagement, and commercialization,” Grubbs said in a statement.

“We forecast the global creator economy excluding China to reach $23 billion this year, driven by tens of thousands of creators who make a living on digital video and social platforms. This scale affords our company ample opportunity to build assets that produce meaningful value in the years ahead,”

"“I have had the good fortune to work with creative entrepreneurs for more than a decade. Next 10 Ventures is the culmination of numerous discussions with creators on their desire to partner with a company that offers financing, industry expertise and a path forward to realizing their goals."

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Editor

Danielle Partis is editor of PocketGamer.biz and former editor of InfluencerUpdate.biz. She was named Journalist of the Year at the MCV Women in Games Awards 2019, as well as in the MCV 30 under 30 2020. Prior to Steel Media, she wrote about music and games at Team Rock.