---
title: "Sellable"
description: "Sellable (VNTR, 2021/22): Investors buy a share of a video's future ad revenue at auction"
url: "https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/sellable-2021-22/"
lang: "en"
---

# Sellable

**Investors buy a share of a video's future ad revenue at auction**

_Money today, not tomorrow_

- **Corporate partner:** [VNTR](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/network/partners/vntr/) (https://www.postfinance.ch/en/about-us/company/innovations-vntr.html)
- **Cohort:** [2021/22](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/cohort/2021-22/)
- **Theme:** [Finance & insurance](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/themes/finance-insurance/)
- **Type:** Business model
- **Universities:** [University of St. Gallen](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/network/universities/hsg/), [Hasso Plattner Institute](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/network/universities/hpi/)
- **Team:** 5 master students

## Challenge

Gen Z knows little about investing and sees banks as old-fashioned. Creators build wealth slowly and often need money now, not once ad revenue adds up.

## What the team learned

Creators want earnings now and more control over income to fund their next idea. Followers can gain first investment experience with content they already understand and love.

## What they built

Sellable is a platform where creators auction part of a video's future ad revenue while keeping ownership. Fans bid; the winning investor receives a share of ad revenue over time, and the creator is paid upfront.

## Impact

For the partner, Sellable opens access to young investors and an entry into the creator economy, making the bank a first mover.

## Full project text

A new investment asset class for creators and investors to support creators in their work and eventually gain an attractive return.

### Challenge

Gen Z only knows little about financials and how to invest. However, they are very interested in learning more about the topic yet think that banks are old and not representing their needs. Meanwhile, creators only accumulate little wealth over a long period of time. They usually depend on a sum of money today and usually cannot wait until ad revenues add up over time. Their followers are willing to support their favorite creators sometimes even without getting a return than just great content. With Sellable they get the opportunity to get attractive returns while supporting their favorite creator.

### Solution

Sellable is an investment platform where investors and creators meet. It is a new banking ecosystem for Generation Z and the creator economy to enable creators to live a financially independent life and for Gen Z to learn more about financials from a young age. Through an auction system, creators get enabled to set the price they wish their video to sell for while maintaining ownership of their video. Investors can bid a price to the listed video, which they are willing to pay. When winning the auction, the investor then receives part of the creator's ad revenues over time, while the creator gets the money upfront.

### Impact

On the one side, sellable enables platform users to support their favorite creator while benefiting from a potentially attractive return. On the other side, creators receive money upfront and do not need to wait until ad revenues add up over time. For our corporate partner, the solution enables access to a young investor group and also an entry field into the creator economy which might grow over time. This makes the bank a first mover in the field.

## Who built it.

- Deborah Dhanapal (University of St. Gallen)
- Florian Meier (University of St. Gallen)
- Julian Zabbarov (Hasso Plattner Institute)
- Sebastian Apitz (Hasso Plattner Institute)
- Fabian Lange (Hasso Plattner Institute)

## Video

- EXPO 2022 - Team PostFinance by University of St. Gallen and Hasso-Plattner Institut teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEPS0wEdwGM

## Sources

Summarised by the SUGAR editorial team from the team’s project page and SUGAR Expo booklet.

Open the 2021/22 booklet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gaylrIaKwqlepYmZJTx7JXi7XBTw56Kd/view?usp=sharing