Talenthouse to partner with and invest up to $7 million in cash and shares in US-based digital SME banking provider, Nerve.

• Talenthouse AG is a technology platform company, working with the world's largest creative community of over 18 million members, to produce the highest quality digital content for many of the largest companies globally.
• TalentPlus is Talenthouse's financial services vertical, providing Creators with financial services solutions to support their creative endeavours.
• US-based Nerve is an embedded banking solution for US businesses in the creator economy.
• TalentPlus has partnered with and Talenthouse will invest up to $7 million in cash and shares spread over the coming weeks into Nerve's proposition in preparation for its U.S. market entry in late-November.
• Nerve operates a B2B model that will be able to manage, pay and invoice clients all from a single point of access. This is the first time Nerve will be providing their services on a private-label basis.
• Talenthouse clients include Universal Music Group, Unreal Engine, Bombay Sapphire and HBO who tap into Talenthouse's creative community for creative, visual assets to use in their marketing materials.
• TalentPlus plans to build out its business banking solution in the US market with BETA launching in late-November, followed by a UK, LATAM launch in early 2023. Furthermore, it plans to launch personal banking in early 2023.
• TalentPlus will directly tap into Talenthouse's diverse and talented community by providing services to Creators on the Group's platform.

LONDON, Oct. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --  TalentPlus, Talenthouse's one-stop-financial app built for Creators, has partnered with and Talenthouse will invest up to $7 million in cash and shares in Nerve, an embedded banking solution for the US creator economy. This is the first time Nerve will be providing their embedded banking proposition on a private-label basis.

Through this investment and partnership, TalentPlus plans to launch in the US in late-November and move into several markets in 2023 including the UK and Latin America to lessen the financial burdens of Creators. Furthermore, TalentPlus plans to add personal banking services to its offering in 2023 across all markets to benefit the Creator Economy.

The Creator Economy is not limited to social media influencers and YouTubers – it is a global phenomenon of working creative professionals. Adobe estimates (August 2022) that less than 15% of the 303 million creators across nine key markets that were surveyed are influencers. The sector is estimated to be worth in excess of $2.8 trillion and is heavily driven by digital advertising needs.

The TalentPlus solution comes at a time where Creators, now more than ever, want to merge their passion with their profession and monetise their skills. TalentPlus will merge local and global financial service offerings seamlessly, taking advantage of Open Banking solutions where available to best service the rapidly evolving Creator Economy.

TalentPlus will ensure that there is a direct payout with no loss in cash, typically resulting from payment provider fees, for Creators on the platform when paid out from brands.

Clare McKeeve, CEO of Talenthouse states: "This is a significant step into the U.S. market for Talenthouse. We plan to recreate this financial services model across several markets in the near future including the UK and Latin America. We have been incredibly impressed by and have huge confidence in the Nerve team, underlined by our significant strategic investment."

John Waupsh, CEO of Nerve states: "We are super excited about collaborating with Talenthouse and the TalentPlus team to drive innovation for creative businesses and delivering financial services to an underserved community. This partnership will expand our payments and banking services to Talenthouse's U.S.-based creators, dramatically improving the financial services available to the creator economy."

Michael Callas, SVP and Global Head of TalentPlus states: "Nerve is a game changer for creatives in the United States. Thanks to our strategic partnership we will be perfectly positioned to become creatives' single point of access into banking, insurance, accounting and a substantial suite of lifestyle and business services. We're poised to help millions to create freely!"

Additional information on TalentPlus

Made possible with the dawn of Open Banking in early 2018, TalentPlus is a much needed vertical banking solution that supplies a financial suite of services for Creators that goes beyond the offerings of commercial banks.

The concept emerged from a Talenthouse pilot programme called ElloU launched early in 2021.

The feedback from Creators revealed a desire and need for a lifestyle-centric financial solution that focuses on helping Creators with their personal and business money management. This unique subsect of professionals have been historically underserved by mainstream financial institutions that have traditionally taken a one-size-fits all approach to serving their customers' needs.

Through TalentPlus professional creatives will be able to send invoices, download tax statements and receive advances all within a single app, with many more creative-focused services to follow. Talenthouse's business model requires a financial services vertical, to ensure its community can receive its payments in a timely manner.

About Talenthouse AG

Talenthouse AG is a technology platform company, working with the world's largest creative community of over 18 million members, to produce the highest quality digital content for many of the largest companies globally, including Netflix and Universal Music Group.

Talenthouse AG, which unites the creative platforms of Talenthouse, EyeEm, Ello, Creative Commission, Coolabi, Zooppa and Jovoto, is leading a structural shift in the way that creative content is produced, employing a platform business model to source content at the scale and quality required to keep pace with consumer demand in the digital age. In doing so, it is also opening up opportunities for a much larger pool of creative talent.

TalentPlus is Talenthouse AG's financial services' arm providing Creators with banking and lifestyle solutions to support their creative endeavours.

The company is registered in Switzerland and operationally headquartered in London with offices in LA, NYC, Berlin, Venice, Peterborough and Philadelphia. For more information visit: www.business.talenthouse.com

About Nerve

Nerve's mission is to help creators build sustainable businesses. By providing embedded banking and payment services to organisations that serve creators, Nerve lowers their cost to payout creators, and drives new sources of revenue for those platforms. Nerve also offers a branded app with a multitude of easy-to-use tools to help English and Spanish-speaking U.S.-based creators manage their finances, including business debit and savings accounts, free instant payments to other users, and fee-free access to 55,000 ATMs. Nerve is a financial technology company and not a bank – banking services are provided by Piermont Bank, Member FDIC.

For more information, visit https://nerve.money.