If you’re looking for information on the sources behind Stir Money, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got plenty of information on this topic, including details on how Andreessen Horowitz invested in the start-up in the Series A round.
a16z invests in creator-economy companies
Andreessen Horowitz (AH) is a venture capital firm with a large focus on the creator economy. They’ve invested in 18 different companies, including Instagram and Metatheory.
According to CB Insights, the Creator Economy has already surpassed the $100 billion mark. It’s also been identified as one of the largest sectors of the digital economy, and more than 125 startups are currently active in the space.
A16Z has a portfolio company, CreatorDAO, that is funded through a16z’s crypto wing. However, it is unclear whether this new business model is truly a game changer for online video.
Another of the firm’s creator-focused investments is SignalFire. The platform offers creators access to a broad range of value-added services, including Beacon talent technology, in-house experts like former Stripe CMO Adam Neumann, and advisors from Instagram founders.
Another notable investor in the creator-economy is MaC Venture Capital. This VC firm invests in media and digital media startups, and prioritizes seed-stage companies. Founded by Marlon Nichols, who used to work for Intel Capital, MaC has invested in companies like YouTube, Reels, and NewNew.
Next 10 Ventures is another firm with a creator-economy focus. Founded in 2018, the VC fund has closed 40 percent of its A-series rounds and has invested in several startups at the pre-seed and seed stages.
Other key players in the space include Union Square Ventures, which has backed more than a handful of startups at the pre-seed and seed stage. Earlier this year, the firm launched a Creator Fund, which is designed to help creators gain funding for their projects.
Across the US, there are about 50 million independent content creators. According to SignalFire, this number is expected to increase to more than one billion by 2020.
While the influencer economy has yet to take off, many brands have made it clear they’re interested in the space. They’re expected to spend $15B on influencer marketing by 2022.
While the creator-economy may seem like an over-hyped buzzword, it’s actually an underlying phenomenon. As more people become self-employed, more money is being poured into the industry. Among the most prolific backers are Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and Chapter One Ventures.
Andreessen Horowitz leads Series A financing of Stir Money
Andreessen Horowitz is a relatively young Silicon Valley venture capital firm that is mainly focused on seed and mid-stage investments. One of the company’s more notable investments is Clubhouse, a social media startup that provides a social network with a unique twist: it’s built around audio chat rooms. As a result, it’s garnered some interest among celebrities and venture capitalists alike. Its latest round of financing, a $200 million Series A led by the aforementioned firm, is a significant albeit modest investment.
Andreessen Horowitz also led the Series A of Stir Money, a tech startup that makes the old fashioned adage about managing your money sound a bit less daunting. The company makes a revenue management software system that helps video and audio producers manage their income. While the company doesn’t disclose financial details, it does provide some metrics on its users.
Another startup that made the cut is PearPop, a social networking site designed to help creators monetize their interactions on Twitter and Facebook. Similarly, PearPop’s marquee product is an app that allows users to earn money by selling merchandise. But the company also has a lesser known product called Pixels, which lets creators create branded content using a smartphone.
Other notable mentions go to Proof Collective, which made a big splash by announcing its third NFT collection; and Blustream, a mobile app that lets consumers upload photos and videos to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Both are in their infancy, but the company has already secured a few key deals including a $3 million seed round from York IE. Likewise, the aforementioned clubhouse is a heavyweight in the young market, with a robust sex pack of investors that includes former Facebook product designer Rohan Seth, Paul Davison and Alexis Ohanian.
Last but not least, the company has a new product, a video analytics and management solution aptly named Stir for Managers. The platform allows talent managers to create, manage, and share their revenue information and videos. Using the company’s technology, they can also double their client base by automating many of the more mundane tasks.
A16z invests in other previously unreported financing of a startup
A16z has thrown its hat into the cryptosphere, and the requisite finesse of a Silicon Valley tech titan makes for some interesting reading. One of its more recent acquisitions is a storable, albeit small, that aims to do for the throne what it has snatched for itself: the golden touch. A16z isn’t short on wacky ideas, and one of the aforementioned whizkids is a veritable tidbit sucky. For this reason alone, it may be time to recast. Among other things, this venture is a prankster of an unreliable stooge. In a pinch, this can be a knuckle dragging nightmare. This is not to say that they are not smart and intelligent individuals. They just don’t know it yet. That said, a nip and tuck in the near future may not be a bad thing, even if it means some kind of unsupervised tech shed.
