Creator Website-Building Startup ‘Fourthwall’ Raises $17 Million, Taps Phil DeFranco For CCO

The startup Fourthwall has raised $17 million in VC funding and appointed Phil DeFranco as its chief creator officer, as it looks to help creators build self-branded websites that can host a varied array of business ventures.

Investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Initialized Capital, and Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six. The company raised a $6 million seed round in Feb. 2019 and an $11 million Series A in Jan. 2021. In his new role, veteran creator DeFranco — who is also a Fourthwall user — will guide product development.

Fourthwall was founded in 2019 by Will Baumann, and helps creators build self-branded websites that they own — including all back-end data. On these sites, creators can design and vend merch, as well as offer memberships for content access. While providing similar services to platforms like Patreon, Cameo, OnlyFans, and Spring, Fourthwall offers a white-label service that puts creator branding front and center.

Fourthwall is currently being used

by hundreds of creators, it says, with usage having catapulted tenfold this year and “multiple” creators making over $1 million on the platform. Interested creators can submit an invite request right here. While its goal is to eventually be open to everyone, Fourthwall is currently prioritizing creators with at least 100,000 YouTube subscribers.

While free to join, the platform charges a 2.9% credit card processing fee — plus 30 cents — on each transaction. It doesn’t take any additional cuts from physical product sales or fan donations, but does pocket 3% on digital product sales and 5% for membership purchases.

“When I first joined Fourthwall, thanks to their amazing team and next level tech, I immediately increased my merchandise revenue tenfold, and started getting compliments rather than complaints about customer service,” DeFranco said in a statement.

Other creators who use the service include comedy vlogger Brandon Farris, musician Harry Mack, and the meet-up group No More Lonely Friends.