The 3 creator economy trends that helped startups pull in millions from investors heading into 2026

Whatnot cofounders Logan Head and Grant LaFontaine.

Whatnot

• Investors are writing big checks for creator economy startups, but influencers aren't the main focus.
• Instead, VCs are funding startups using AI, social commerce, and community tools to shake things up.
• Here's where almost $2 billion in new funding went last year among creator industry companies.

Influencers are no longer a buzzy category for investors writing big checks. Artificial intelligence, social commerce...