Here’s what you missed over the past weeks in the creator economy.

These recent headlines offer a glimpse into the most important moves and news, and they are just the tip of the iceberg.

Creators, athletes, and celebrities are moving from participants in the commerce infrastructure to architects of it, as more undertake entrepreneurial projects or replace endorsement checks with equity stakes.

Throne Sport Coffee added MLB All-Star Alex Bregman as an equity investor and brand partner, joining Patrick Mahomes (the second-largest shareholder) and Breanna Stewart on a multi-sport athlete roster covering the NFL, the WNBA, and now MLB.

IM8 added two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo as a global partner and shareholder. Antetokounmpo joined Beckham, world No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, and F1 driver Ollie Bearman on a multi-sport equity roster.

Price.com extended the model into AI-native commerce by signing fitness creator Ashton Hall as Global Brand Ambassador and equity investor. Hall commands more than 40 million followers and over 1 billion monthly views. The standard market offer for a creator at Hall's scale is a six-figure flat fee for a 30-day window or seven figures for longer commitments. Hall took equity instead, choosing a structure that pays him for as long as the company exists rather than for a single campaign window.

Kylie Jenner converted her Sprinter vodka soda platform into ingestible beauty with K2O by Sprinter, debuting Advanced Skin Hydration drink sticks formulated with electrolytes, hyaluronic acid, and Verisol Bioactive Collagen Peptides. The launch positions the brand within the hydration, health, and wellness wave, reshaping the functional beverage category. K2O was anchored by a TikTok Shop Grand Opening Campaign that moved approximately 18,000 units in the first 15 days.

Reale Actives, the acne-focused skincare brand from creator Alix Earle, posted one of the fastest creator beauty launches on record on March 31, crossing $1 million in sales in under five minutes and $5 million by mid-afternoon, with all four SKUs sold out within ten hours. Earle, who has approximately 14 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, has documented her acne struggles publicly for four years, including multiple rounds of Accutane, making the founder-market fit genuinely earned. The brand is backed by Imaginary Ventures, the firm that also led Mikayla Nogueira's POV Beauty and invested in other leading creator brands like Skims and Bero.

Cardi B's Grow-Good Beauty launched on April 15 through an exclusive joint venture with Revolve Group. The six-SKU haircare collection retails at $14.99 to $19.99 per product, deliberately positioned for the beauty supply store consumer rather than the prestige tier where most celebrity haircare brands compete. The brand is built around Fiberlace, a proprietary plant-derived complex, and draws on the DIY hair masks Cardi has shared publicly for years, rooted in the Dominican family traditions she grew up with.

On April 15 we launched Pina1930 alongside our co-founder and creative director Tommaso Zorzi, the Milanese TV host and creator known for a curated aesthetic and a 2-million-strong audience that has followed his taste for years. The brand debuts with a porcelain tableware and home textiles collection, entering a category that has seen very few challenger brands in recent years and almost no creator-led entrants. We are loving working with Tommi and are extremely bullish on the potential of the project.

Nas.com, the AI-powered marketing platform founded by creator Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily, approximately 70 million followers globally) and COO Alex Dwek, closed a $27 million Series A led by Khosla Ventures. Participating investors included 500 Global, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and angels including Stanley Tang (DoorDash), Shuo Wang (Deel), and Tim Ferriss. The platform converts a single product photo into a full storefront and into AI-generated ad campaigns posted directly to Meta, with annual recurring revenue growing from $1 million to $8 million in 2025 across 20,000 paying entrepreneurs.

Cadootz, the better-for-you kids' snack brand co-founded by creator Rachel Mansfield, closed a $3 million-plus seed round led by Selva Ventures. Selva's prior portfolio includes Mid-Day Squares, Gruns, and Javvy. The capital will fund a national retail launch in June 2026 with a major undisclosed retailer.

All Things, the British dairy brand co-founded in 2023 by chef and creator Thomas Straker (4 million-plus followers across platforms) and growth operator Toby Hopkinson, raised £3.6 million led by The Equity Studio, with continued participation from Access Industries and Active Partners. The capital will fund Tesco butter distribution starting May 2026 and a US national retail launch in September 2026.

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