Latest news with #Creators'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whalar Group Secures Strategic Investment From Marc Benioff, Shopify, and Neal H. Moritz to Power the Next Era of the Creator Economy
LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Whalar Group, the global Creator company on a mission to liberate the creative voice, announced today that they have secured strategic investment from a group of powerhouse investors: Marc Benioff the visionary founder of Salesforce, Shopify, and Neal H. Moritz the acclaimed Hollywood producer & founder of Original Film. Neil Waller, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Whalar Group, said: "The Creator Economy is now mainstream. What started as mostly part-time influencers has evolved into a professionalized industry. Creators are hiring teams, embracing new technologies and new ways of working to create valuable IP, build thriving communities and develop businesses with diverse revenue streams. This investment validates that we're just scratching the surface of what's possible. We're doubling down on building infrastructure that lets Creators operate like major entertainment companies, but with the agility to rapidly adopt new ways of thinking and creating that give them a distinct competitive advantage. The future isn't just about content, it's about Creators building the next generation of entertainment and media powerhouses." This investment marks a significant milestone in Whalar Group's journey as the company continues to scale its ecosystem, which is built entirely around Creators. Whalar Group has built a fully integrated ecosystem to support them, spanning brand partnerships, talent management, product incubation, digital operating system, physical campuses, and gaming innovation. Whalar Group's unique ecosystem consists of six companies: Whalar: the world's leading independent Creator and social agency. Sixteenth: a leading, global, 360° Creator talent management company. The Lighthouse: the first-of-its-kind IRL campus for Creators and their teams to Learn, Make, and Belong. Foam: the operating system for managing digital talent. Moby Ventures: a venture studio that brings Creators' ideas for brands and products to life. Umi Games: a gaming studio that connects brands to Creators, building the most immersive experiences within Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. The backing from these three investors is an important step in the company's growth, reflecting its long-term vision and the immense potential of the Creator Economy. Each investor brings a unique, equal contribution to the story of where Whalar Group is going next. Shopify, through its internal venture team, brings a shared belief in community-led commerce and the rise of Creators as the next generation of entrepreneurs. This investment is a full-circle moment for Whalar Group, which was incorporated shortly after the founders were Build A Business winners of Shopify in 2015. Harley Finkelstein, Shopify President said: "Creators are powerhouses of commerce. They've built an entire ecosystem around their communities - an ecosystem that's built on Shopify, and supercharged by Whalar Group. We're arming creators with the tools they need to turn their communities into businesses from day one." And with Neal H. Moritz, the founder of Original Film and one of the most prolific producers working in Hollywood today, with more than $12 billion in global box office earnings, he ranks as the fifth highest-grossing producer of all time. The partnership strengthens Whalar Group's deepening bridge into the entertainment world, helping Creators accelerate their opportunities to work with existing IP as well as develop and build value in their IP. Neal H. Moritz, Founder of Original Film, said: "Creators today have the power, reach, and originality that used to be reserved for studios and networks. We're excited to partner with Whalar Group on the infrastructure for Creators to help them scale that power into lasting IP." This investment round signals the beginning of the next chapter for Whalar Group. With the backing of leaders in tech, commerce, and entertainment, Whalar Group is poised to unlock a new wave of innovation and impact, with more to come. About Whalar Group:Whalar Group is a global Creator company on a mission to liberate the creative voice. Our proximity, understanding, and trust of Creators evolved into a first-of-its-kind Creator ecosystem that includes the leading independent Creator and social agency, a 360° Creator talent management company, a first-of-its-kind IRL campus for Creators and teams, an operating system for managing digital talent, a venture studio, and a ground-breaking gaming studio. With a team of 300+ people around the world, we bring brands and businesses into value-driven, Creator-led communities. Whalar Group melds entrepreneurship, technology, and creativity to unlock limitless possibilities. For more information, visit: View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: Courtney BartholomewGlobal Head of Marketing + Communications, Whalar Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Whalar Group Secures Strategic Investment From Marc Benioff, Shopify, and Neal H. Moritz to Power the Next Era of the Creator Economy
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Whalar Group, the global Creator company on a mission to liberate the creative voice, announced today that they have secured strategic investment from a group of powerhouse investors: Marc Benioff the visionary founder of Salesforce, Shopify, and Neal H. Moritz the acclaimed Hollywood producer & founder of Original Film. Neil Waller, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Whalar Group, said: 'The Creator Economy is now mainstream. What started as mostly part-time influencers has evolved into a professionalized industry. Creators are hiring teams, embracing new technologies and new ways of working to create valuable IP, build thriving communities and develop businesses with diverse revenue streams. This investment validates that we're just scratching the surface of what's possible. We're doubling down on building infrastructure that lets Creators operate like major entertainment companies, but with the agility to rapidly adopt new ways of thinking and creating that give them a distinct competitive advantage. The future isn't just about content, it's about Creators building the next generation of entertainment and media powerhouses." This investment marks a significant milestone in Whalar Group's journey as the company continues to scale its ecosystem, which is built entirely around Creators. Whalar Group has built a fully integrated ecosystem to support them, spanning brand partnerships, talent management, product incubation, digital operating system, physical campuses, and gaming innovation. Whalar Group's unique ecosystem consists of six companies: Whalar: the world's leading independent Creator and social agency. Sixteenth: a leading, global, 360° Creator talent management company. The Lighthouse: the first-of-its-kind IRL campus for Creators and their teams to Learn, Make, and Belong. Foam: the operating system for managing digital talent. Moby Ventures: a venture studio that brings Creators' ideas for brands and products to life. Umi Games: a gaming studio that connects brands to Creators, building the most immersive experiences within Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. The backing from these three investors is an important step in the company's growth, reflecting its long-term vision and the immense potential of the Creator Economy. Each investor brings a unique, equal contribution to the story of where Whalar Group is going next. Shopify, through its internal venture team, brings a shared belief in community-led commerce and the rise of Creators as the next generation of entrepreneurs. This investment is a full-circle moment for Whalar Group, which was incorporated shortly after the founders were Build A Business winners of Shopify in 2015. Harley Finkelstein, Shopify President said: 'Creators are powerhouses of commerce. They've built an entire ecosystem around their communities - an ecosystem that's built on Shopify, and supercharged by Whalar Group. We're arming creators with the tools they need to turn their communities into businesses from day one.' And with Neal H. Moritz, the founder of Original Film and one of the most prolific producers working in Hollywood today, with more than $12 billion in global box office earnings, he ranks as the fifth highest-grossing producer of all time. The partnership strengthens Whalar Group's deepening bridge into the entertainment world, helping Creators accelerate their opportunities to work with existing IP as well as develop and build value in their IP. Neal H. Moritz, Founder of Original Film, said: 'Creators today have the power, reach, and originality that used to be reserved for studios and networks. We're excited to partner with Whalar Group on the infrastructure for Creators to help them scale that power into lasting IP.' This investment round signals the beginning of the next chapter for Whalar Group. With the backing of leaders in tech, commerce, and entertainment, Whalar Group is poised to unlock a new wave of innovation and impact, with more to come. About Whalar Group: Whalar Group is a global Creator company on a mission to liberate the creative voice. Our proximity, understanding, and trust of Creators evolved into a first-of-its-kind Creator ecosystem that includes the leading independent Creator and social agency, a 360° Creator talent management company, a first-of-its-kind IRL campus for Creators and teams, an operating system for managing digital talent, a venture studio, and a ground-breaking gaming studio. With a team of 300+ people around the world, we bring brands and businesses into value-driven, Creator-led communities. Whalar Group melds entrepreneurship, technology, and creativity to unlock limitless possibilities. For more information, visit:
Sharjah 24
22-04-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
ERRA enhances Arab cooperation to protect creators' rights
This participation aligns with ERRA's ongoing efforts to strengthen its regional and international presence and expand its influence in the field of reprographic rights and related rights protection. It also presents an opportunity to enhance the exchange of expertise between the UAE and Morocco in rights management, and to share successful experiences in legislation and best practices. Aims to raise awareness of the importance of fostering a reprographic rights culture Through its participation in the exhibition, the association aims to raise awareness of the importance of fostering a reprographic rights culture, emphasise the need to protect the literary and creative rights of their owners, and highlight the UAE's national approaches in developing an intellectual property protection system. It also seeks to strengthen its strategic relations by building new partnerships and signing cooperation agreements with reprographic rights authorities in Morocco and the countries participating in the exhibition. Commenting on this participation, Dr Mohammad Alkamali, Board Member of the Association said: 'Our participation in the exhibition affirms our commitment to expanding cooperation with our brotherly nations in the Arab world and enhancing efforts to protect the intellectual rights of creators. We believe in the importance of integrating the roles of cultural and legal institutions to ensure an environment that stimulates innovation and protects the products of thought and creativity in light of the rapid developments in the creativity and intellectual property sector. We are keen to share the Emirati experience and benefit from the pioneering experiences offered by the Kingdom of Morocco in this field.' The association's programme includes a dedicated exhibition booth to introduce its activities and initiatives within the "Sharjah Guest of Honour" pavilion The association's programme includes a dedicated exhibition booth to introduce its activities and initiatives within the "Sharjah Guest of Honour" pavilion. This will also include a distinguished dialogue session titled "Preserving Creators' Rights – The Emirati-Moroccan Experience," bringing together experts from the UAE and Morocco to showcase the two countries' experiences in preserving reprographic rights and creative rights for authors. The dialogue session addressed the role of policies, legislation, and institutions in protecting creators' rights, their contribution to developing the creative economy, and the challenges they face. It also reviewed best practices and discussed innovative solutions that would contribute to ensuring the sustainability of creative production and supporting a knowledge-based economy. The session was attended by Mohammed bin Dekhain , President of the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, Dr Mohammad Alkamali, a member of the association's board of directors, and Dalal El Mhamdi El Alawi, Director of the Moroccan Office of Reprographic Right and Related Rights. This participation reflects the association's commitment to promoting regional dialogue and exchanging expertise with brotherly nations, contributing to the development of an integrated legislative and institutional environment that supports creators and preserves their rights in the Arab world.
