Goldenset Collective, a digital creator business, launched yesterday with $10 million in seed funding, including backing from Thirty Five Ventures, the investment firm of NBA star Kevin Durant. As traditional athletes increasingly bring money and business acumen into their creator-powered businesses, Durant is just the latest to step into that space.
Goldenset is an incubator for digital creators, providing the funding and structural support they need to transform their followers into sustainable businesses. Founded by Darren Lachtman and Nick Millman.His Previous Ventures Focused on Gen Z Media network Brat TV also counted Durant as an investor.
“I think it’s consistent with the way [Durant and his partners] Think about space,” said Lachtman. “It’s a combination of both knowing us from previous jobs and being interested in the creator’s economy as well.”
The rise of athlete investors is nothing new. For decades, traditional sports stars have been the primary source of venture capital for businesses in technology, retail and media. However, the athlete’s investment has definitely increased since his 2020. The athlete was the first to participate, under the influence of his creators online individual.
Durant is one of several current and former elite athletes who have invested in creator-centric businesses in recent years. In October 2022, NFL wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster invested in esports company World Champion Fantasy. Former quarterback Kurt Benkert invested in esports organization He Spacestation Gaming in April 2022. In December 2022, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams founded his business, Hall of Goats, which licenses athlete images and likenesses, with the growing profile of college athletes as content creators. I took advantage of the fact that
“The reality is that 98% of them will never turn pro, so they see this as an opportunity for them to make money now, but hopefully they can have a passive income beyond their playing years. – Founder Greig Carlson was a former University of Southern California football player himself. His company’s efforts are supported by the NCAA’s revised name and image licensing policy. The NCAA is renewing his for 2021, giving college athletes more opportunities to monetize their brands.
In part, traditional athletes are interested in the creator space because they have a deep understanding of what it takes to transform an individual into a brand. “Athletes have extroverted personalities and understand, ‘This is who I am, and I am the product.’ Ahman Green, a veteran NFL running back who has invested in streaming platform ESTV, said. can do.”
Athletes were arguably the first influencers, and at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, many turned to live streaming to fill the void and stay loyal online even after they returned to the field. Left an army of fans. With a first-hand understanding of the creator economy, it is unlikely that traditional athletes will continue to invest in this field as the high incomes of athletes continue to close the gap between athletes and their digital creators. It is inevitable.
Millman, founder of the Goldenset Collective, said: “This is going to be interesting, and I think there is a good chance that we will definitely be working with some companies in the next few years.”
