Clubhouse raises cash at a reported $1B valuation — now it’s locking in audio influencers

In Da Club(house)... you can find more than 50 Cent. Audio-based social network Clubhouse just raised some fresh cash... at a reported $1B valuation. That's 10X its valuation in May, when the invite-only app raised $12M with just 1.5K users — now it has a whopping 2M (less #exclusive). How it works:

• It's kind of like social podcasting. Clubhouse lets you spontaneously tune into topic-themed "rooms," where members openly discuss everything from race, to TikTok marketing, to Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift.
• It's kind of filled with celebrities. But instead of just following a blue checkmark, you listen in on convos "moderated" by celebs. Like rapper 21 Savage, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, and actress Tiffany Haddish — and if you're really lucky, Oprah.

Show me the money... Clubhouse doesn't make any (yet). But it might eventually, thanks to its hosts: in addition to humble-flexing its fundraise, Clubhouse also revealed plans to help creators get paid. Think: subscriptions, tipping, and ticket sales for exclusive talks. It's also using part of the funding to launch a Creator Grant Program, to support emerging hosts and entertainers. Later down the line, it could choose to take a cut of creators’ $$$ — or charge its own subscription.