Stan launches $250,000 challenge to support creator-led businesses

Stan is awarding $250,000 in prizes through its Dare to Dream Challenge, a programme aimed at supporting creators looking to build sustainable, independent businesses.

The initiative, now in its second year, offers a $100,000 grand prize alongside additional awards for runners-up, with applications open throughout January. Creators in the UK are eligible to apply.

Stan said the challenge reflects a growing focus on reliable income in the creator economy, where visibility has become easier to achieve but predictable earnings have not.

The company said algorithm changes, platform dependency and tighter brand budgets have made creators more conscious of risk, with audience size alone no longer seen as a reliable foundation for long-term income.

According to Stan, its recent challenges have shown that creators with relatively small audiences – often between 1,000 and 25,000 followers – are able to earn sustainably through coaching and community-based offerings.

The Dare to Dream Challenge combines cash support with access to Stan’s mentorship and creator community, with the aim of giving emerging creator-entrepreneurs the building blocks needed to operate independently.

Stan operates as an all-in-one “link-in-bio” platform, allowing creators to monetise their audiences directly through various digital products. Since launching in 2021, the company says creators have earned more than $400 million through its services.

Last year, Stan made headlines after appointing entrepreneur and podcaster Steven Bartlett to a senior leadership role, as part of a broader effort to position creator-led businesses as serious commercial enterprises.

The Dare to Dream Challenge is open to applications until the end of January.