Method
How the atlas is researched
Every profile starts from the company's own pages and filings, then reputable reporting. Nothing is estimated: a figure without a source is left out.
- 50platforms researched and published
- 301sources cited across the profiles
- 48chief executives confirmed against a 2025 or 2026 source
- 7leader photographs with a free licence or from a press kit
Sources
- Primary first: the company's website, press releases, filings and pricing pages.
- Then reputable reporting: TechCrunch, Reuters, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, Digiday, Axios and trade press.
- Data providers such as Crunchbase only as a last resort, and labelled as such.
- Every figure carries its date, and every profile lists its sources.
Leadership and ownership
Leadership and ownership are checked against a 2025 or 2026 source. Where no current chief executive is named publicly, the profile says so rather than guessing. Each record is checked again every 90 days.
Images
- Company logos and cover images are the companies' own, shown to identify them.
- Leader photographs appear only with a free licence or from the company's own press kit, and carry their credit.
- Section photographs are from Unsplash, credited to their photographers.
Independence
Inclusion is editorial. No company paid to appear, and appearing is not an endorsement. Order within a layer is alphabetical.
Corrections
Something out of date? Every profile has a correction form. Corrections are checked against a source before a record changes.
The seven layers
Each platform sits in the one layer that describes its main business. Many do more than one thing; the layer is where most of their revenue or attention comes from.
- Marketplaces and sponsorship7 Marketplaces match brands with creators and handle booking and payment.
- Agencies and creator companies9 Agencies run strategy, talent and campaigns for large brands.
- Discovery, analytics and verification6 Discovery and analytics tools find creators and test whether audiences are real.
- Creator management and commerce7 Management and commerce platforms run programmes, affiliate links, storefronts and payouts.
- Enterprise intelligence and partnerships5 Enterprise intelligence measures, governs and attributes creator spend at scale.
- Owned audience and monetisation9 Owned audience tools turn followers into subscribers, members and customers.
- AI-native creation7 AI-native tools generate, edit, dub and repurpose what creators make.
Leadership checked between 14 Nov 2026 and 14 Nov 2026. Each record is checked again every 90 days.