Kickstarter is no longer just helping creators raise money. It’s putting its own money on the table.

The crowdfunding platform launched the Kickstarter Culture Fund, a $1 million initiative that will directly pledge money to independent creators running campaigns across art, photography, dance, theater, film, fashion, and music.

That distinction matters. Kickstarter has spent years building the infrastructure for fans to fund creative projects. Now, for the first time, Kickstarter itself is becoming the backer.

Selected creators will receive direct pledges to their campaigns, with funding amounts varying based on the project and its needs. Kickstarter will also give recipients promotional support across its channels, while some boundary-pushing projects could receive additional campaign guidance.

There’s still one catch: creators have to play by Kickstarter’s rules. Projects must be live or in draft, fall within an eligible creative category, and launch by December 31, 2026.

Holiday planning is already in full gear, and the pressure is on for ecommerce brands to generate demand.

Creator affiliate marketing can help by connecting more of your marketing spend to measurable performance. But creators are already locking in their holiday content calendars 90 days out, and brands who wait too long lose the runway they need to build momentum before the holidays.

The 90-Day Holiday Sprint is a practical guide from Levanta that breaks down building a creator affiliate program with checkpoints at Day 30, Day 60, and Day 90, so your program is live and capturing holiday demand instead of scrambling to catch up.

Inside, you’ll find how to:

Download the Free Guide

Alix Earle has invested in supplement company Cymbiotika, turning a product she says she’s used for years into a business bet. Earle reaches 14 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and will now use that audience to help grow a company she has a financial stake in.

It’s good timing. Cymbiotika entered every Target store nationwide in late 2025, expanded into more than 1,000 Ulta Beauty stores this spring, and raised $25 million in January while remaining profitable and growing at a triple-digit rate.

Earle could eventually go even deeper. The partnership leaves the door open for a co-branded product, giving her the opportunity to move from investor and promoter to potentially putting her name on the shelf.

She’s also joining a pretty crowded celebrity cap table. Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Zac Efron, The Weeknd, Steve Aoki, Peggy Gou, and the Jonas Brothers have all invested in Cymbiotika.

But for creators, the more interesting story isn’t supplements. It’s ownership.

Starting February 1, 2027, new creators will need 8,000 watch hours over 12 months or 20 million Shorts views within 90 days to qualify for the YouTube Partner Program’s ad and subscription revenue sharing.

That’s a major jump in the barrier to monetization, especially for creators still trying to turn an audience into an actual business.

YouTube is also introducing a rolling performance requirement for Shorts. Creators will need 10 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days to earn Shorts ad and subscription revenue. Drop below that threshold and Shorts revenue sharing pauses until the channel crosses it again.

There is some good news. YouTube says its existing revenue-share splits aren’t changing, current Partner Program members will keep their status, and eligibility for fan funding and shopping products will remain the same.

YouTube is also expanding subscription revenue opportunities through Premium Lite, with creators receiving money through dedicated subscription revenue pools.

Your Creatorland profile is your professional reputation in the creator economy. Now you can prove it belongs to you.

Creators who connect their Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube accounts now get a Verified Profile badge on Creatorland. The badge helps brands, creators, and other members know you are who you say you are, and that you are actively claiming your professional presence in the largest network of brands and creators on earth.

There are three badge levels: grey, purple, and gold. The gold badge is reserved for the richest profiles with three or more connected channels.

Connecting your socials also unlocks the new stuff we’ve been building behind the scenes:

Your best work should not be buried in your feed. Connect your channels, claim your badge, and make your profile easier for brands and collaborators to trust. Get the verified badge by connecting your socials in Settings, or just click the button below to go straight there.

Brands, looking to hire? 👉 Click here to post a free job/campaign on our job board, generating 100s of applications per week.

Whether you’re a full-time streamer, or a casual gamer, making money by sharing clips of your favorite games on TikTok has never been easier, and for a limited time TikTok is running bonus commissions and discounts. Apply now!

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👋 Happy Networking!

~ Brian F.

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