The Future Is Built Together: Why Creators and Innovators Must Collaborate

No matter what part of the entertainment industry we look at, the ones who make it possible—who bring us joy, connection, and a break from the everyday—are the ones who enter it with no guarantee, no promise, and potentially no future.

They run headfirst into it without financial security, with somewhat of a path forward, and often without knowing if they’ll ever make a living from it. There are no set promotions, no structured career ladders—just an industry that rewards some but leaves many behind. And yet, they step in anyway. Not because it’s easy, not because it’s safe, but because they believe in it.

Who do you think I’m talking about?

If you said artists and athletes, you’d be right. If you said independent managers, agents, production companies, publishers, and labels, you’d also be right. But within the entertainment industry, we often overlook one incredibly important group of people—a group that has the potential to change the course of the industry far more than the industry itself ever could: the founders.

For too long, we’ve seen the wrong people butting heads when, in reality, they’re not all that different. Artists, athletes, and their teams fight for recognition. Founders fight to build something that makes the industry better—but at their core, they all want the same thing. They want a thriving industry, one that values creativity (which means different things to literally everyone in the industry), rewards risk, and allows those who contribute to sustain themselves.

Yet instead of working together, these groups often find themselves on opposing sides. Artists, athletes, and their teams grow frustrated with founders, questioning why they’re trying to “fix” something that doesn’t feel broken to them. Founders, in turn, battle to bring the industry into a new era, pushing for change that isn’t always welcomed.

What we tend to miss is that they all start in the same place: with nothing guaranteed. No safety net, no certainty of success—just an idea, a vision, and a little bit of madness to see it through because of a deep care and love for the industry.

And that’s exactly why they should be working together.

To make it happen, we need stronger bridges between the two worlds. Founders building the next generation of platforms shouldn’t just be pitching to investors and boardrooms—they should be in the rooms where real decisions are being made by the people living this industry every day. That means artists, athletes, musicians, and their teams being brought in earlier, not as end users, but as collaborators. If we shift the dynamic from founders “fixing” things to founders and industry leaders developing solutions together, we create a system where innovation isn’t an outside force—it’s something built from within.

That starts with real conversations, shared experiences, and a commitment to listening. It means rethinking how startups integrate into the industry, making room for new models where artists, athletes, and their teams don’t just adopt technology—they help shape it.

If we get this right, the future won’t just be something that happens to the industry. It’ll be something they build together.

So how do we make that shift?

Music organizations, athlete associations, and industry groups need to become the bridge between the two worlds, making it one.  This means:

1. Bringing technology into the heart of the organisations by having founders of tech companies and tech experts on their boards.  

2. Government funding models that reward long-term collaboration, not just short-term wins that don't compound over time. It means industry bodies treating innovation as part of their responsibility, not something happening outside their control.  Grants should be expanded to not just be for artists or athletes but for founders to build products that can drive the industry forward.  Entertainment startups aren't getting the funding they need because of the lack of clear pathways for adoption.

3. Education of artists and athletes needs to include discussions around innovation and technology.

If we truly want to build a stronger entertainment industry, we need to start by investing in the infrastructure that connects its key players. That means government-backed funding for industry organizations that prioritize collaboration, not just preservation. It means ensuring these organizations have the resources to educate, experiment, and support new models—so they aren’t just keeping up with change, but actively driving it.

We now know the next decade will see more change than the last fifty years combined. Those who embrace it—who build the future together—will be the ones who thrive. Those who resist will find themselves left behind.

The choice is ours.