At 14, Jens Glerum discovered YouTube and saw his world expand. At 22, he is ready to reshape it. 

The Dutch wunderkind who co-founded creatormate, the AI-powered platform aiming to redirect the current of the creator economy wave.

Despite facing hurdles in AI development and fundraising within a conservative Dutch market, the startup has captured the attention of investors and industry watchers alike.

As the August 29 launch approaches, creators and brands ask: Could this be the tool that finally bridges the gap between content and commerce, authenticity and algorithms?

In an exclusive interview with Net Influencer, Jens shares his story and vision that might change how people think about digital influence.

Leap into E-Commerce and Beyond

Jens was born in a small Dutch village. His foray into digital media began at 14 when he discovered YouTube. 

“My whole perspective changed on what was possible in the world,” he recalls. 

This early fascination led him to create content, unknowingly building a portfolio to shape his future.

At 17, Jens moved to Amsterdam and became an e-commerce coordinator at a high-end fashion retailer. It was here that he first recognized the power of creator-driven marketing. 

“I saw that [traditional advertising] never happened. There was this guy asking people what they were wearing, and sometimes they were wearing this brand,” Jens explains.

This insight led the young entrepreneur and his business partner, Marnix Vandooren, to establish a talent agency for small creators. 

However, the advent of AI prompted a pivot. “We got in contact with the number one AI agency here in the Netherlands,” Jens says. “[They said] we can automate everything.”

creatormate emerged from this revelation. 

The platform analyzes creators’ content to identify what resonates with their audience. “We analyze for creators what their audience loves so we can help them create more resonating content,” Jens states.

The company’s approach is data-driven yet human-centric. 

“I hate it when people say, ‘I have 600 likes.’ [Those likes] don’t mean anything. Those are 600 people behind their phone who saw something of you that resonated with them,” Jens emphasizes.

He remains focused on the platform’s unique value proposition. 

“Our target audience is niche. These are people who primarily make short-form video content on Instagram and are trying to utilize the whole platform,” he clarifies.

Transforming Content Creators into Business Owners

Jens envisions a transformative role for the platform in the creator economy. 

“Our mission now is to become a place where people turn into creators and creators turn into businesses,” Jens tells us, outlining the company’s immediate goal. 

This focus on creator empowerment sets the stage for creatormate’s broader ambitions.

Looking further ahead, Jens articulates a more expansive vision: “Within five years, we want to be the number one spot where creators get a team, where creators go to if they need anything about growth.”

creatormate distinguishes itself in a crowded market by prioritizing creator needs over brand interests. 

While platforms like GRIN or Upfluence focus on connecting brands with creators, creatormate aims to “put more power into the hands of creators,” Jens explains. The company achieves this by facilitating matchmaking based on detailed audience analysis.

A key differentiator is creatormate’s data depth. “We get so much more data because our primary customers are creators instead of businesses,” Jens notes. 

He believes the creator-first approach yields “a more transparent and complete overview of who these creators are, who they’re reaching, and why these people resonate with them.”

Crafting Content Market Fit

Jens explains creatormate’s approach to helping creators grow and engage their communities through innovative AI-powered tools.

“Our contextualization AI model can analyze for all these categories the creator is posting about what is resonating with the audience,” he states.

The platform develops a “content market fit script” for each creator, identifying content that is authentic to the creator and resonates strongly with their audience. This script serves as a quality benchmark for future content. 

“When they’re brainstorming something new, we would suggest, ‘Hey, what about this?'” Jens notes.

creatormate’s collaborative AI acts as a virtual team member, offering personalized suggestions based on the creator’s unique voice and past performance. 

“It becomes a more collaborative experience,” Jens explains. “The whole way we collaborate with the creator is personalized through their tone of voice.”

The platform’s features extend to content inspiration and ideation. Creators can easily save and analyze content that inspires them, with creatormate’s AI extracting key elements and suggesting ways to adapt the concept.

Crucially, the company’s focus extends beyond mere follower growth. 

“Growing community is not only giving them more followers but also building meaningful connections with this audience,” Jens points out.

Decoding Audience Engagement

At creatormate, data is the cornerstone of creator success. 

“Data for us is the whole platform. Data never lies,” states Jens. 

The company’s unique advantage lies in its comprehensive data collection through Meta’s API and creators’ processes, providing insights that drive content strategy and community growth.

creatormate goes beyond merely presenting data. The platform explains why certain strategies work, fostering creator education and trust. 

“Creators love to become better creators,” Jens notes. “Everything we suggest should be explained to them to make them smarter.”

According to the co-founder, the most valuable data points aren’t traditional metrics like retention rates or engagement percentages. 

Instead, creatormate focuses on identifying active, genuine audience interactions. “Who gives a f*** about what you’re doing, and who doesn’t? And the people who care, who are they, and why do they resonate with you? That’s the best insight we can get,” Jens emphasizes.

The platform’s philosophy challenges common misconceptions about social media algorithms. 

Jens dismisses manipulating algorithm settings, stating, “The algorithms are just people. If people like it, you will get more reach.”

Creator-Brand Dynamics

Jens identifies a crucial imbalance in the current ecosystem: “The power is still in the hands of the brands… And the whole goal is to shift that power to giving it more to creators.”

He argues that creators possess invaluable insights into audience preferences and behaviors. 

“Creators have such a relationship with people online that it’s a no-brainer for them if they can do it in their way, that they will [convince the people] to buy a product,” he explains. 

creatormate facilitates this shift by providing brands with data-driven “match scores” and explaining why specific creators resonate with their target audience.

Despite AI development and fundraising challenges, particularly in the risk-averse Dutch market, creatormate remains adaptable and forward-thinking. 

Jens stresses the importance of continuous learning and community engagement: “Our number one thing is just doing what we already do now, what we do best. And it’s listening to our customers.”

He sees creatormate as more than a problem-solving tool, revealing a broader ambition: “We’re trying to be a part of something way bigger than just you and me fixing a problem.”

Passion Over Profit

Jens advises fresh creators to focus on authenticity and passion over immediate financial gain. 

“You should just define why you’re doing it. Who you’re trying to reach, and what message you’re trying to convey,” Jens says, highlighting creators’ unique voices.

He cautions against chasing viral trends, stating, “If you remake someone else’s story, you will never find your own.” 

Instead, the entrepreneur encourages creators to focus on developing their narrative and gradually refining their message based on audience response.

Practical considerations are also key. Jens recommends maintaining a part-time job initially, allowing creators to focus on improvement without financial pressure. 

He advises against unnecessary equipment expenses, suggesting creators “just focus slowly on creating. And once you think you got something, go all out with everything.”

Consistency emerges as a crucial factor in building a successful creator brand. 

Jens emphasizes persistent effort and patience, especially in the early stages of a creator’s journey.

For further inspiration, Jens recommends resources like jayhoovy’s YouTube series and Patreon CEO Jack Conte’s talks, describing the latter as “maybe the most passionate guy on this planet” and the one “leading the [creator] economy right now.”