In the past decade, venture capital has largely overlooked one of the fastest-growing segments of modern business: creators. While influencers have built massive audiences and generated billions in revenue, few have successfully transitioned into scalable, founder-led companies with long-term enterprise value. That's the gap Ozzy Marriott and Evan Urquhart are betting on.
The two entrepreneurs—both under 30—are quietly building a Strategic Venture Partnership (SVP) firm designed to identify, invest in, and operationally scale what they describe as "the next generation of creator-founders." Their ambition is clear: to replicate, within the creator economy, the kind of tightly connected, high-impact network once referred to as the "PayPal Mafia."
From Behind-the-Scenes Operators to Strategic Investors
Before launching their SVP venture, Marriott and Urquhart built their reputations as operators, working behind the scenes to scale digital businesses and creator-driven revenue ecosystems. Most notably, they contributed to the growth of a Mammoth Media-backed company under Science Inc., helping guide the business to profitability and an eventual exit after eight years. During that time, they were involved in facilitating more than $100 million in brand partnerships, bridging the gap between creators, influencers, and major commercial opportunities.
While the numbers are significant, it's the operational insight that now defines their approach. "We saw how much value was being created, but also how much was being left on the table," Urquhart says. "Creators were generating attention at scale, but very few were building real, durable businesses around that attention."
A New Model: Capital Meets Execution
Unlike traditional venture capital firms, Marriott and Urquhart's SVP model is built on a hybrid structure: combining capital investment with deep, hands-on execution. Rather than acting as passive investors, the firm embeds directly into growth, helping creators build out the infrastructure typically reserved for high-growth startups. This includes monetization systems, content distribution engines, brand partnerships, and operational frameworks designed to increase lifetime value rather than short-term earnings.
"The traditional model doesn't work here," Marriott explains. "You can't just write a check and expect a creator to turn into a company. There has to be real execution behind it." Their thesis is that distribution—once considered a marketing advantage—is now the foundation of modern enterprise value. Creators already possess what most startups spend years trying to acquire: attention. The challenge lies in converting that attention into scalable, defensible businesses.
From Influencers to Owners
Central to the firm's strategy is a shift in mindset from influencer to owner. Many creators today remain heavily reliant on a single platform, leaving them vulnerable to algorithm changes and limited in their ability to fully monetize their audience. Marriott and Urquhart focus on breaking that dependency by expanding creators across multiple platforms, revenue streams, and brand verticals.
The goal is not simply growth, but ownership. "We're building equity-driven businesses," says Urquhart. "Not just helping someone make more money this month but helping them build something they can exit from." This approach aligns more closely with startup building than traditional influencer management, positioning creators as founders rather than talent.
Early Momentum and Scale
The firm is already gaining traction. Marriott and Urquhart are currently in discussions with more than 15 creators, representing a combined audience of over 50 million followers across platforms. While still early, the scale of these partnerships signals the growing demand for a more sophisticated approach to creator growth—one that blends capital, systems, and strategic execution.
