The 3 creator economy trends that helped startups pull in millions from investors heading into 2026 (www.businessinsider.com)

Investors are increasingly shifting their focus from traditional influencer-driven startups to innovative companies in the creator economy that utilize artificial intelligence (AI), social commerce, and community engagement tools. In 2025, nearly $2 billion in funding was allocated to startups that are redefining the landscape of content creation and commerce. Notable trends include the rise of AI tools designed to democratize content creation, as seen with companies like Synthesia and PixVerse, which raised significant capital to enhance user-creation capabilities in video and photo generation. This move suggests a potential disruption of established creative tool giants like Adobe, indicating a transformative shift in how content is produced. Additionally, social commerce is gaining traction, with platforms like TikTok Shop leading the way in consumer engagement through livestreaming and direct purchases. This new purchasing behavior has attracted substantial investment in social-commerce startups, as evidenced by Whatnot's skyrocketing valuation following sizable funding rounds. Lastly, there's a budding interest in next-generation community platforms as users seek alternatives to mainstream social media, with funding flowing to entities like Substack that enable independent creators to monetize their content. This evolving landscape highlights a broader transition within the creator economy, driven by technological advancement and changing user preferences.