PubMatic has launched Creator Marketplace, the first programmatic CTV auction built to connect independent creator-led media companies with programmatic and AI-driven ad demand. MeatEater, the US outdoor-lifestyle brand founded by Steven Rinella, is the first partner. 

According to the press release, the marketplace is built with Holmes Media, whose Boost platform helps creators scale their CTV inventory, and FreeWheel, which handles ad serving.

Currently, Indian creators rely mostly on brand deals and platform ad money. They struggle to access larger advertising budgets that are usually managed through automated advertising systems, which is the exact problem PubMatic aims to fix.

The gap PubMatic is targeting also exists in India

India’s creator economy fits this pattern well with estimates of its size vary widely. Predictions for the market’s scale suggest a rise from USD 15 billion in 2026 to USD 62 billion by 2033, while another expects it to reach nearly USD 2.5 billion in 2025 and exceed USD 5 billion by 2027. 

Regardless of the specific figures, this sector is substantial and expanding rapidly, yet it remains primarily dependent on brand partnerships rather than organised advertising systems.

The other piece PubMatic’s model needs is CTV inventory, not just YouTube views as India is building that too. With smart TVs becoming increasingly affordable, India’s digital landscape is shifting; the nation currently boasts more than 129 million connected-TV users spanning approximately 45 million households, a figure that continues to rise.

PubMatic doesn’t view MeatEater as just an influencer. Instead, they see it as a full-scale media company that produces its own content and shares it across various TV platforms. 

This marketplace isn’t for individual creators, it’s for the next level up creator-founded studios with owned production, multi-platform reach, and real audience data.

More Read

Indian creators need to smarten up as UK counterparts get TikTok Creator Card

Myntra’s new affiliate feature gives creators a second income stream

Instagram’s 2026 Analytics Update: What Creators Need to Change Now

PubMatic’s India ties make a local extension plausible

Early versions of this category exist in India, where YouTube-first production houses in sectors like food, automotive, and comedy are developing FAST and CTV channels to complement their social media presence.

What none of them have yet is a programmatic front door like the one PubMatic just built for MeatEater.

PubMatic’s largest office globally is in Pune, with over 320 employees forming most of its engineering team, along with a regional leadership team covering India and Southeast Asia. 

With that scale of local presence, PubMatic looks well placed to bring this same marketplace model to India once enough local creator publishers build out their CTV inventory and ad infrastructure.

Author

Krati Darak

Krati Darak is the Senior Editor at The Creator Index, where she leads everything editorial, from coverage decisions and story direction to the voice of India's first dedicated creator economy publication. She's spent over five years in digital media and has done a bit of everything — at Thomson Reuters, she covered legal news, deals, appointments, and rankings. At LBB, she pretty much led Mumbai coverage, digging up the city's hidden gems (if you've found one through them, there's a good chance she wrote about it). She's also worked as a commerce editor at StyleCraze and has written for D2C beauty brands like Foxtale, WOW Skin Science, SkinQ, and more.