
New Social Theory, the fintech company behind the platform Xorro announced its first venture capital funding, a strategic investment from San Francisco-based Oyster Ventures. This investment will accelerate the development and launch of Xorro in early 2026, the first regulated platform of its kind enabling creator entrepreneurs and their fan communities to invest together in new ventures.
Xorro is designed for established creator entrepreneurs looking to launch and scale brands and their loyal audiences. The platform provides a compliant framework for creators to raise capital and for fans/followers to become investors by gaining a financial stake in the business endeavors they support, moving beyond traditional reach & transactional engagement to shared economic partnership.
The funding round was led by Oyster Ventures’ Managing Partner, Kenneth Ballenegger."The creator economy is evolving beyond ads and merchandise. With Xorro, we are building the infrastructure for genuine co-creation and shared ownership," said Arjun Balraj, CTO of New Social Theory. "Our platform formalizes the trust and passion between creators and their communities into a new class of financial partnerships."
With Global operations, New Social Theory will use the capital to advance Xorro's technology, ensure regulatory compliance across key markets, including the US, UK, and Hong Kong, and prepare for its public launch with additional partnership support for creator entrepreneurs launching with the platform in 2026.
"We are pleased to partner with Oyster Ventures, whose expertise in fintech and consumer technology is invaluable as we enter this next phase," said Mark Tibbatts, Co-CEO of New Social Theory. "This investment validates our vision of a more inclusive financial ecosystem for creators and provides the resources to bring Xorro to market responsibly and effectively."
Kenneth Ballenegger, Managing Partner of Oyster Ventures, commented: "New Social Theory is tackling a significant white space in the market. Xorro isn't just a funding tool; it's building a regulated digital ecosystem for creator-led businesses to launch and grow with their community's capital and support. We are confident in the team's vision and execution capability."
Xorro is slated to launch in early 2026.