Linktree today announced the launch of its Passion Fund partnership with Square. The Passion Fund will award creators, business owners, activists, or anyone with a big dream with an investment and tools to help turn their passion into a career.
The fund also celebrates the recent addition of Commerce Links, powered by Square, to the platform which enables Linktree users to engage in frictionless transactions, quicker paths to purchase for their customers, more opportunities for monetisation and an ability to connect their online ecosystem to their products or services.
“The tremendous growth the creator economy is experiencing can make it harder for some to breakthrough and the Passion Fund provides an opportunity for creators to receive financial resources and industry expertise to bring their work and passion to a global audience,” said Alex Zaccaria [pictured], co-founder and CEO of Linktree.
“Our partnership with Square is the next step to enabling creators to curate an online ecosystem all in one place by seamlessly monetising their Linktree.”
“Square was built to help everyone participate and thrive in the economy, regardless of the size or type of business,” said Lauren Weinberg, Square’s Global Head of Marketing. “We’re delighted to be working with Linktree to help creators turn their passion into a living.”
Beginning on May 27, 2021, standout creators and entrepreneurs throughout the world are invited to submit their application to receive a share of the US$250,000 fund.
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of influential, self-made business leaders, creators, founders and digital experts, chosen for their unique stories and experiences turning their passions into thriving businesses. They include:
- Karamo: American television host, reality television personality, author, actor, and activist. Karamo currently stars as the culture/life coach expert on Queer Eye.
- Li Jin: Founder and General Partner of Atelier Ventures, an early-stage VC fund focused on the passion economy & future of work. She was previously a consumer partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
- Grace Beverley: Successful entrepreneur shaking up the archaic business world, with a global reach of over 1.5 million and founder of two brands that are paving the way in D2C fitness concepts. Grace was Natwest GBEA Young Entrepreneur of the Year and named first in Forbes 30 under 30’s retail and e-commerce list, aged twenty-three.
- Alex Zaccaria: Linktree co-founder and CEO. Alex has been a serial entrepreneur and creator since his teens, managing musicians and generating revenue streams for his artists, before launching a digital agency, which Linktree was born out of.
- Lauren Weinberg: Square’s Global Head of Marketing. For the past three years, she has led Square’s marketing and communications teams, helping tell its story of economic empowerment.
The Passion Fund has three tiers – Gold, Silver and Bronze — and funds will be awarded as follows:
- Gold: 9 x US$20,000
- Silver: 10 x US$4000
- Bronze 10 x US$1000
In addition, there will be a People’s Choice Award Winner, who is selected by the public and will receive US$20,000.
To further pursue their passions and work towards their goals, all winners will receive exclusive use of Linktree benefits including lifetime PRO access, marketing workshops with the Linktree team and no transaction fees on their Commerce Links.
