Super-tweeter Elon Musk buys Twitter. Facebook’s parent fires 11,000 workers. MrBeast tries to become a creator-unicorn. Those are some of the most remarkable moments for the creator economy in 2022, a year that’s had plenty of wild headlines even while some the buzz—and funding dollars—has faded. Here are our favorites, in descending order.
- MrBeast seeks $1.5 billion valuation. This quarter, we didn’t see any buzzy creator economy startups become unicorns, or reach a $1 billion-plus valuation, but we did see a creator strive to reach that status. Axios in October reported that Jimmy Donaldson, better known by his YouTube name MrBeast, is looking to raise $150 million for his business at a valuation of $1.5 billion. It was a notable moment because it shows how big some creators’ brands can get outside the social media apps that made them famous. MrBeast’s rise coincides with other top creators, including TikToker Addison Rae, launching businesses and shows.
