CAA and Integrated Media Launch Creator Economy Rollup Compound

As the creative economy gets bigger and bigger, the entertainment business is taking a closer look at deals in the space. Now a new venture from a pair of entertainment heavyweights is planning to do just that: Cut deals with creator-led businesses and ride that wave of growth.

Creative Artists Agency and Integrated Media Company, an investment firm backed by TPG, are partnering to launch a $250 million holding company that will roll up businesses that operate in the creator economy.

The new joint venture is called Compound Creative Holdings and will be led by CAA veteran Tucker Brown as managing director.

CAA, of course, is the largest talent agency in the world, with hundreds of A-list clients from the world of entertainment, music, sports and, yes, creators. IMC, founded by former AOL and News Corp. exec Jon Miller, is invested in the sports and media space through businesses like Fandom and TV Guide.

Compound will be led by a board that includes CAA leadership Kevin Huvane, Jim Burtson and Maya Ho and IMC leadership Jon Miller, Ori Winitzer and Ben Loffredo. CAA creators agent Andrew Graham and CAA Strategic Development executive Adam Goldstein will serve as advisors.

“Compound brings together creative vision and financial resources to open doors to opportunities unlike any other,” said Kevin Huvane, co-chairman of CAA. “Creators around the world are building full-fledged media companies with direct audience connections and true ownership of their intellectual property. Compound is built to fuel that momentum and reflects our commitment to helping creators amplify their impact.”

Some top creators (i.e. MrBeast, Dhar Mann) are building proper mini studios, developing full slates of content that rival traditional entertainment companies in terms of impact and quality. Others, meanwhile, are leveraging the vast audiences they have built online into other businesses, like food and beverage products, clothing and skincare lines.

“The Creator economy is rich with investment opportunity and capital formation has just begun,” adds Ori Winitzer, managing partner at IMC. “However, capital alone is insufficient, especially in this category. Our excitement is a function of both the secular opportunity and the benefits of approaching it with the world’s preeminent talent firm. For 50 years CAA has created value for the most influential artists and tastemakers; this timely initiative represents an opportunity to do even more.”