Airrack’s YouTuber film school sells to VidIQ

VidIQ has acquired Creator Now. The former company, which supports more than three million creators through its proprietary analytics platform, is the new owner of the learning hub co-founded by Eric ‘Airrack‘ Decker.

13-year-old VidIQ announced the acquisition through a press release, though the analytics hub did not disclose the financial particulars of its latest transaction. The deal is formally structured as a merger, which will allow Creator Now to continue operating as a standalone brand.

Decker teamed up with managers Zack Honarvar and Kate Ward to launch Creator Now in 2021. The platform, which has been described as “YouTuber film school,” supplies up-and-coming creators with tips, tricks, and best practices. The first Creator Now class was a six-week online learning program that cost $250 per entrant.

Admission was capped at 300 students, though Creator Now drew a 12,000-person waitlist. Airrack, known for his epic stunts

and community-based projects, led the course shortly after surpassing one million subscribers on YouTube.

By acquiring Creator Now, VidIQ is hoping to increase the number of resources that are available to novice videomakers. The creator career path is becoming popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and as a result, the size of the creator community is expected to grow by at least 10% over the next five years. With so many beginners entering the online video ecosystem, VidIQ is well-positioned to add to its millions-strong user base.

“The Creator Now team has established themselves as visionaries in the creator economy and this merger will bring both companies’ collective strengths together to give creators an all-in-one offering spanning across tools, educational resources, and community,” said VidIQ CEO Rob Sandie in a statement. “Our vision has always been to empower creators. By merging with Creator Now, we’re taking a giant leap forward, offering an unmatched suite of tools and knowledge designed to elevate every aspect of content creation.”

VidIQ’s Creator Now deal resembles its 2022 acquisition of Tim Schmoyer‘s coaching business Video Creators. Both of those acquisition targets were founded by creators, and they both focus on educational services for aspiring pro videomakers.

Airrack’s list of ventures extends beyond Creator Now. Most recently, he popped up on TV screens on New Year’s Eve, when he set a Guinness World Record by visiting dozens of fast food restaurants in a 24-hour period.