Creator Economy Investing with Rex Woodbury

When OSCILLATIONS got its start a couple of years ago, almost nobody knew what an influencer was, much less understood that an economy was emerging around them. Now influencers are called creators, and the value of creator networks is increasingly recognized in media and tech. Funds like Index Ventures and Lerrer-Hippeau are actively investing in the creator economy, the tools that power it, and the media brands that bring creators together to replace dinosaur networks struggling to maintain a hold in a world where cable has been cut.

Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with one of these forward-thinking investors at Index Ventures, Rex Woodbury. Rex is himself an influencer, and he’s had his pulse on cutting-edge trends at the intersection of culture and technology for years. He writes about these trends in his newsletter on Substack, the Digital Native, which we highly recommend - and which we’ve linked in the show notes. The thing about Rex and his colleagues is that they aren’t your typical venture capitalists chasing buzzwords and timing the hype cycles. This new wave of “creator economy” investors often draw inspiration from the innovations of the Italian Renaissance and the salons of the Belle Epoque. If that sounds familiar, it’s probably because we’ve talked at length about cultural movements like these in previous episodes.

Indeed, today you’ll hear a lot of similar themes as in our last interview with Joe Marchese. But you’ll notice that Rex has a more sanguine position about the creator economy. We discuss how creators are changing art and culture, as well as the role that investment capital can play in supporting creators. This is a really important topic, because in order to build a better world, we need to understand how capital is allocated. If we want a future that isn't just powered by profit and doesn’t just offer convenience, but is also beautiful and inspiring, then we need more investors looking at art and culture. And if the 21st century is poised for another Renaissance - another global movement in the arts and sciences - it’s not going to be underwritten by wealthy merchant families or industrialist robber barons. It's going to be funded by venture capitalists. Let’s dive in and see what that world could look like. We give you: Rex Woodbury.

"Art is the signature of civilizations." -Beverly Sills
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