Creator

• Vienna-based fintech Talentir has raised €4 million in a seed funding round to modernize cross-border payout infrastructure for creators, freelancers, and contractors. • The round was led by Redstone VC and supported by Inovia Capital, featuring backing from former Google CFO Patrick Pichette and eight other investors. • Talentir aims to solve inefficiencies in platform payments by utilizing AI and stablecoin rails to streamline global financial transfers.

• Google's Sean Downey and YouTuber Adam W discussed the surge in creator ad spending during Business Insider's CMO Insider breakfast. • The experts advised marketers to stop attempting to control every word of a campaign, suggesting that relinquishing creative control to creators leads to better results. • This shift matters as brands move away from traditional corporate scripting to leverage the authentic voice and influence of social media personalities.

• Netflix has cancelled the new sci-fi drama series created by the founders of *Stranger Things* after only one season. • The unnamed project joins a growing list of shows axed by the streaming platform following their initial run. • The creators previously expressed caution regarding cliffhangers, citing a similar experience with *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance*, which was also cancelled after one season.

• A BBC investigation reveals that OnlyFans creators are being exploited by "OnlyFans Management" (OFM) agents who promise to maximize profits but often take up to 50% of their earnings. • Dozens of women reported being misled by these managers, who control their accounts and communications while stripping them of their financial independence. • The findings highlight a systemic lack of oversight, as OnlyFans has been aware of these exploitative practices through media reports and direct creator complaints.

• The New Zealand government is investigating new regulations for international streaming services to protect local broadcasters and content creators from financial devastation. • Proposed measures include implementing a levy on platforms, establishing local content quotas, or requiring direct investment into New Zealand-based productions. • Screen Producers NZ president Irene Gardiner noted that similar schemes were recently adopted in Australia, following precedents set by Canada, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Denmark.

• Creator Fund has closed a new $56 million fund dedicated to supporting scientific founders and researchers across Europe. • The capital will target PhD students and academics developing deep tech startups in specialized fields, including AI, robotics, biotech, and advanced materials. • This initiative matters as it bridges the gap between academic research and commercial viability for high-impact scientific innovations.

• Kensington-based venture capital firm Creator Fund has closed its first fund, totaling €48.6 million, to support scientific founders in Europe. • The fund focuses on DeepTech and targets entrepreneurs at the pre-Seed stage, specifically backing them before they have developed a formal pitch deck. • By scaling its student-sourcing model across the continent, Creator Fund claims to be the largest student fund in the world.

• Creator Fund has raised $56 million specifically to support scientific founders across Europe in transitioning breakthrough research into viable startups. • The fund has already quietly completed 11 initial investments targeting innovators in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Hungary. • This initiative matters as it bridges the gap between academic discovery and commercial application, providing critical early-stage capital to deep-tech entrepreneurs.

• UK-based venture capital firm Creator Fund has closed its first European fund, securing $56 million (£42 million) in capital. • The fund specifically targets pre-seed scientific founders across Europe, providing backing even before entrepreneurs have developed a formal pitch deck. • This initiative is significant as it bridges the gap between academic scientific research and commercial viability for early-stage deep tech startups.

• BBC News has been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the set of the new production *Tip Toe*, created by Russell T Davies. • Davies reflects on his career and the impact of his 1999 breakthrough drama *Queer as Folk*, which served as a cultural reset for LGBTQ+ representation on screen. • The creator expresses his overarching ambition and hope that the medium of television can be used as a tool to actively change the world.

• Forbes has released its "30 Under 30 Asia: Social Media, Marketing & Advertising" list, highlighting young content creators who blend education and entertainment for Gen-Z audiences. • Among the featured creators is Richardo from Indonesia, who has leveraged art and storytelling to amass over 18 million followers on TikTok. • Richardo's impact is further evidenced by her consistent success on the platform, having won awards for three consecutive years starting in 2022.

• Creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin has leaned further into his Korean roots for the second season of the hit Netflix series "Beef." • The move reflects a broader trend of "Koreanization" in global entertainment, alongside the massive success of projects like "Squid Game," "Minari," and "Pachinko." • This shift highlights the increasing influence of the Korean diaspora and the role of streaming platforms in bringing culturally specific Asian stories to a worldwide audience.

Deborah Turness, who resigned last year, says traditional news in danger of being replaced by personality-led contentBroadcasters must urgently adapt to an existential threat from “creator journalism” that is causing audiences to shun traditional television news, the former boss of BBC News has said.Deborah Turness, who resigned from the BBC alongside the then director general, Tim Davie, last year, said consumption was “collapsing” for traditional television news, which was facing “a profound moment of disruption”. Continue reading...

Africa is leading a change in news consumption habits – and transforming the lives of current affairs enthusiastsLast year Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa posted a TikTok video about South African peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She explained an argument that had erupted between the South African and Rwandan presidents, then listed roles different South African groups would play in a war with Rwanda: the Sotho strategists, the Xhosa negotiators, the Afrikaner muscle. The video went viral and she racked up 100,000 followers in three days.This breakout video enabled Jaxa to pivot from being a marketing and restaurant entrepreneur to a “professional yapper and current affairs enthusiast”, part of a group of content creators explaining the news to young South Africans who, like many of their global peers, are eschewing traditional news in favour of social media. Continue reading...

Marvel praises Conway’s ‘undeniable and indelible impact’ of celebrated comic book writer who also worked for DCGerry Conway, a renowned comic book writer who helped create characters and stories for Marvel and DC, including the Punisher character in the Spider-Man comics, has died. He was 73.In a Monday statement announcing his death, Marvel described Conway as a legendary comic book writer with a prolific career. He died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday in Thousand Oaks, California, his wife, Laura Conway, told the Associated Press. Continue reading...

Creator card is designed for people making money through TikTok Live, some of whom have complained of delays in paymentsTikTok and Visa have launched a debit card for content creators in the UK that they say will allow people to quickly access their earnings from the platform.The creator card is designed for the growing numbers of people making money through TikTok Live, a live streaming feature where creators receive virtual gifts from viewers that are later converted into cash. Continue reading...

• A US judge issued an injunction favoring makers of the banned 'ICE Sightings - Chicagoland' Facebook group and Eyes Up app, alleging DHS and DOJ violated the First Amendment. • The Trump administration last year ordered platforms to remove apps tracking ICE activity, prompting legal pushback. • The ruling underscores tensions between national security and free speech in tech moderation, potentially affecting similar surveillance tools.

Viral reviews of artisan cafes across the capital are sparking a debate over cost, culture – and who gets a slice of the cityThe video that started it all was innocuous enough: a woman in her 20s posted on TikTok about how she spends a perfect weekend in north London. On her list were the bakeries Jolene and Gail’s, and the De Beauvoir Deli.The reaction, however, was anything but. Many locals commented that they had never heard of the businesses she mentioned. One north Londoner, Moses Combe, 21, was equally incredulous. “If this is where all the north London girlies come in the morning, I’d be a bit surprised,” he said in a viral video. Continue reading...

As platforms make less from advertising, creators are struggling to monetise work – leading to calls for more government investment and tax breaksOn a humid afternoon in Lagos, a shoot for a comedy skit is under way on a set that looks more like a small film production.Dozens of people mill about: lighting assistants, a sound engineer, a makeup artist and even a content creator recording unscripted behind-the-scenes footage. At the centre is Broda Shaggi, born Samuel Animashaun Perry, who is issuing instructions, rehearsing lines and performing caricatures. Continue reading...