Next 10 Ventures Launches First Global EduCreator Incubator to Jumpstart Growth In Learning and Education Within the Creator Ecosystem

Next 10 Ventures, a venture group focused on the Creator economy, today announced the launch of its global EduCreator Incubator. This first-of-its-kind program seeks to support emerging video creators who produce education and learning content with seed investments of $25,000 to $75,000, programmatic support, and mentorship.

Next 10 Ventures will finance the growth of their first cohort’s business pursuits to be sustainable and scalable. Built with a focus on meaningful content and with a Creator-centric approach in mind, Next 10 Ventures’ goal is to grow the total number of full-time EduCreators. By supporting a self-sustaining Creator community, Next 10 Ventures is focused on the longer term opportunities by reinvesting its share of revenue back into its EduCreator Growth Fund to nurture the program for years to come.

The way the world learns has changed dramatically over the past decade, with 59 percent of GenZers naming YouTube as their preferred learning method; at the same time, streaming video consumption has more than doubled in the past year alone. And with the explosive growth of the e-learning market -- set to hit over $243 billion by 2022 -- access to high-quality educational video content online is essential to the progress of current and future generations of learners.

This year, 25 to 40 applicants will be selected to join the 2019 EduCreator Incubator cohort. The 12-month program is designed to support each EduCreator holistically with four pillars: Programming, Mentorship, Community, and Creator Wellness. This program will provide each EduCreator with advice, expert support, and business planning which aims to sharpen their management and technical skills, as well as highlight the importance of Creator well-being.

Next 10 Ventures is led by Founder & CEO Benjamin Grubbs, the former Head of Global Creator Partnerships at YouTube. The EduCreator Incubator is led by newly hired Vice President of Marketing Cynthia So Schroeder, who brings over 20 years of technology leadership, educational advocacy, and strategy experience from her previous international roles, including leading eBay’s Global Community Development and Engagement group. Currently, she is a Regent Emerita for the Board of Regents of the University of California. The inaugural EduCreator Advisory Council includes top creators such as Jay Shetty, Shaun & Mindy McKnight (CuteGirlsHairstyles) and WeCreateEdu founder Jacklyn Duff.

“Creators today have influence and an ability to inspire the imagination of kids in a positive way. We have seen firsthand how impactful Creators can be in supplementing and strengthening classroom instruction,” explained Benjamin Grubbs, CEO of Next 10 Ventures. “Through investment, mentorship, and wellness support, we are helping Creators transform their passion for creating inspiring and entertaining education content into full-time careers to inspire kids around the world to seek out fields of study across social sciences, arts, humanities, STEM and more.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to join such a mission-driven team who has a deep passion for ensuring that the world has access to quality online educational content. We are fully committed to supporting diverse educators and their topics that inspire children and young adults to learn, seek, and discover more about the world around them for the next 10 years and beyond,” said Cynthia So Schroeder, Vice President of Marketing. “Next 10 Ventures’ EduCreator Incubator is the first step in expanding the playing field for global digital learning.”

For a list of the program’s eligibility requirements, please visit www.next10ventures.com/educreator.

The application period closes November 17, 2018. EduCreators selected for the 2019 Cohort will be announced in early February 2019. Interested parties may apply here www.next10ventures.com/educreator/apply.

About Next 10 Ventures

Next 10 Ventures is a new kind of venture group, who is both a global investment and operating company focused on the Creator economy with offices in Culver City, CA and Singapore. Our team consists of an uncommon mix of marketers, brand managers, engineers, and education advocates from the likes of YouTube, Google, Warner Bros., eBay, Yahoo!, Turner Broadcasting and Accenture -- that have scaled products and services to billions of people worldwide.

Next 10 Ventures is focused on the long-term growth and sustainability of the Creator ecosystem and takes a vertically integrated approach to build and scale businesses ranging from concept incubation to startup capital and joint ventures. We’re passionate about finding and empowering artists and entrepreneurs of all ages, from anywhere in the world, who are building great content and brands on social media platforms.

Visit us at: www.next10ventures.com

Contact Information

Caleb Odorfer

Account Executive

VSC for Next 10 Ventures

caleb@vscconsulting.com