TOGETHER WITH
It's Monday and Fortnite’s latest Hollywood collab will give players a 10-minute sneak peek at The Mandalorian and Grogu before it hits theaters.
Today’s News
💸 StreamElements wants to sell
🍿 Iron Lung heads to YouTube
🤝 Volt Factor teams up with creators
🎙️ This week on the podcast…
THE BIZ
StreamElements is in dire straits.
With a shutdown looming, StreamElements is seeking an acquisition
The search: A decade after its initial launch, StreamElements is reportedly on the hunt for a buyer as it prepares to cease operations and shut down its website.
According to GamesBeat, a StreamElements staffer discussed the streamer platform’s flagging operations in a Discord server used to coordinate sponsorships. The staffer reportedly stated that StreamElements is preparing to “close its doors,” with its website set to remain open for the next 30 days.
During that time, StreamElements users are advised to log in and save any desired assets. Outstanding sponsorship deals will be paid out.
The context: StreamElements started as one of several dashboards that allow streamers to add overlays to live broadcasts. As the company evolved, however, it set itself apart by bringing brand deals to its partners, sharing statistical insights from streamer culture, and prioritizing underrepresented creators.
That expansion was supported by several funding rounds, including a $100 million Series B led by SoftBank. In 2021, StreamElements also acquired gaming multi-channel network Paragon for an undisclosed sum.
After that, however, the company’s circumstances took a turn for the red. In 2023, StreamElements endured multiple rounds of layoffs as the tech industry at large began to tighten its belt. By January of this year, Co-Founder and CEO Or Perry was urging users to “keep it live” by contributing to a fundraising event. At the time, the exec said that his company supported a user base consisting of 23 million creators.
Now, as it looks to avert a potential shutdown, StreamElements is searching for an acquisition. A tweet from the company announced that it is “in positive discussions with potential acquirers and working to find the best path forward for creators, customers, and our team.”
🌟 SPONSORED 🌟
Tribeca Festival’s flagship brand storytelling summit is less than a month away
Tribeca X is just weeks away.
From June 8 to 9, Tribeca Festival’s flagship brand storytelling program will unite leading media and marketing experts in NYC for two days of panels, keynotes, networking events, and screenings.
What should be on your Tribeca X agenda?
Sit in on discussions with top executives and creators, including Kickstarter Co-Founder Yancey Strickler, Ariana Rodstein (Senior Producer, Fox Sports - Original Content), Cloud 23 Founder Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, and Chewed Up co-hosts Clinton Kelly and Michael Symon.
Attend the Tribeca X Awards Ceremony to witness the best storytelling in branded content, and celebrate the winners and nominees at an exclusive Cocktail Reception.
Visit the Tribeca X Networking Lounge to connect directly with leaders from film, media, brands, and culture and enjoy complimentary breakfast, lunch, and refreshment.
Passes to Tribeca X are on sale now. Visit the website to learn more:
HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰
Iron Lung will soon make its YouTube debut.
Markiplier’s box office hit, Iron Lung, will arrive on YouTube starting May 31 just weeks after the creator discussed the surprisingly complicated process of making a film available for purchase on the platform. (Gizmodo)
YouTube has announced that it will be “expanding likeness detection to all eligible creators” aged 18 and older “in the coming weeks.” (YouTube Help)
Snap, YouTube, and TikTok have settled a first-of-its-kind lawsuit filed by the Breathitt County School District, which alleges that social media has financially burdened public schools by disrupting learning. (The Verge)
Familee Day, a festival hosted by TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee in New Orleans, reportedly attracted more than 20,000 attendees over the weekend. (4WWL)
CREATOR COMMOTION
Another company emerges to turn creator IP into global franchises.
A new creator IP company is joining forces with stars like Alan Chikin Chow
The company: A new creator IP company plans to scale creator businesses into global brands by providing the infrastructure needed to pursue ambitious commercial ventures.
At launch, Volt Factor’s partners include Alan Chikin Chow (who has parlayed his chart-topping success into a sprawling production empire), That’s Amazing (a fraternal duo with nearly 2 billion views on their primary YouTube hub), and Twitch breakout star TheBurntPeanut.
Volt Factor will represent its clients’ global licensing rights, pursuing projects that will maximize revenue from underdeveloped IP.
“Creators have built highly engaged global audiences and widely recognized IP, yet most lack the resources to fully capture the long-term value of what they’ve created. We started Volt Factor to change that.”
The execs: Volt Factor is hardly the first company built around the idea of scaling creator IP. Billions of dollars of venture capital have supported entities like Candle Media, which has in turn unlocked retail opportunities for internet-famous brands like CoComelon.
In a crowded field, Volt Factor Co-Founders Elan Freedman and Lindsay Hampton hope to give the company a competitive edge. Freedman previously co-founded Electric Monster, which supercharges creator brands through IP development and other initiatives. Hampton, meanwhile, spent 14 years at YouTube; most recently, she served as the platform’s Global Head of Creator Engagement.
The two co-founders will get a helping hand from an advisory team filled with retail experts, including Jim Lee (who serves as President of Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs brand) and former execs from Hasbro and Nike.
LISTEN UP 🎙️
Joshua Cohen and Lauren Schnipper have the lowdown on Brandcast and more.
This week on the podcast…
The episode: On the latest installment of Creator Upload, host Joshua Cohen offers listeners an inside look from the David Geffen Theater after attending YouTube’s 2026 Brandcast.
Tune in to find out how YouTube is packaging creator-led shows for legacy advertisers, which new creator shows are coming to the platform, and what’s next for shopping features on connected TVs.
It’s all right here on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The survey: Creator Upload wants your opinion! Take this survey to help us understand who’s tuning in and what you want more (or less) of from the show.
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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, James Hale, and Josh Cohen.