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Why IRL Communities Are The Next Billion-Dollar Opportunity

Author

Natalie Neptune
November 28, 2024

From TKS' innovation hubs to ZCON’s annual summit, a new wave of IRL communities is transforming how Gen Z learns, connects, and builds.

Welcome to GenZtea 1st Newsletter: where I do one deep dive with a focus on Gen Z, events, and job opportunities. I’m Natalie and I’m so happy you’re here.

Now onto the theme of this newsletter… the rise of IRL communities involving Gen Z! I’m seeing these nearly everywhere in my life, which inspired me to write about it. Gen Z is only growing older, which means they will have more disposable income over time (playing the long game here). For example:

I’m the founder of GenZtea, a global community of Gen Z founders, creators, and investors in 21 different countries. We host IRL events in NYC and have a personal branding program for those who want to level up their own brand.

I’ll break down:

  • The overall Gen Z community landscape — how the business model has evolved and case studies on TYB and TKS

  • Opportunities I see in the space — how all companies are investing in communities, and the rise of verticalized professional communities

  • GenZtea events + jobs

Now… let’s get into it! ⬇️

The landscape of Gen Z paid communities

The concept of Gen Z entrepreneur communities isn't new... think back to early computer clubs like the Homebrew Computer Club (where Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak first met in 1975), or Y Combinator's first batch in 2005 where young founders like Reddit's Alexis Ohanian (then 22) gathered to build the future.

The business model has always worked. Create a high-signal environment of ambitious young builders, bring together people who see the world differently and want to create rather than consume, and offer unprecedented access to knowledge and networks that keeps people engaged despite premium pricing.

Fast forward to today... Gen Z entrepreneurship communities are thriving & creating tremendous value where peer learning has become the product. The business models have evolved dramatically, and platforms like Discord, Twitter, and TikTok have made it 100x easier to launch, scale, and monetize young founder communities without traditional institutional overhead. Creators can build global networks of ambitious teens and twenty-somethings, fostering collaboration around shared interests in AI, crypto, biotech, and other emerging fields.

In fact, what we're seeing with Gen Z founder communities is the democratization of what was once reserved for elite university entrepreneurship programs and accelerators. Today's digital-native communities are reinventing how young people learn and build, where demonstrated ability and bold ideas matter more than degrees or traditional credentials. These spaces are becoming the new guilds for the creator economy generation.

The Knowledge Society (TKS) is a private 10-month extracurricular program for ambitious young people aged 13-17 that's produced alumni who've gone on to raise millions in funding and work at leading tech companies. The program costs $489 USD/month + deposit payment of $1,000 (they offer scholarships for low-income students) and have approximately 4,000+ active students and alumni across their global network.

Looking at TKS's website, you'll notice they don't lead with traditional educational selling points like curriculum or credentials. Instead, they focus on the network and opportunities students gain access to. Here's how they structure their benefits:

1. The Innovation Network: Join a curated community of exceptional teens working on breakthrough technologies and moonshot problems.

2. Innovation Pods: Work with a small group of peers under the guidance of an experienced innovation advisor who's built companies or worked at leading tech firms.

3. Technical Training: Master 50+ emerging technologies like AI, biotech, and quantum computing through hands-on projects and real-world applications.

4. Industry Access: Learn directly from founders, scientists, and tech leaders from companies like Google, SpaceX, Economic Forum, Mastercard, TikTok and leading research labs.

5. The TKS Platform: Connect with students globally working in similar fields, join specialized research groups, and access cutting-edge learning resources.

6. Innovation Hubs: Access IRL workspace in major tech hubs like New York, Dubai, Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto, where students can build projects, meet mentors, and collaborate with peers.

Notice how 5 out of 6 benefits emphasize connections and access to an exclusive network of ambitious innovators. The physical space and technical curriculum, while important, are secondary to the community and opportunities.

This reflects a broader trend in education where programs are being built around access to high-value networks and real-world opportunities rather than just content delivery. The core product is the people - both peers and industry leaders - who can accelerate students' growth and open doors to exceptional opportunities.

What I love is how they are putting a new focus on the directors for each in-person program city to host IRL events to attract new applicants. You are starting to see more industries investing in IRL experiences due to the increase of AI.

My market map on the community landscape, focuses on communities that include Gen Z.

There are thousands of these private paid communities out there across industries, and the barriers to entry of starting a community & monetizing it have never been lower.

  • Ali Abdaal's Part-Time YouTuber Academy shows how a single creator can build a thriving paid community. With 1,500+ students paying $1,499 per cohort, Ali's program theoretically generates $2.2M+ per cohort teaching people how to build creator businesses.

  • Creators like Alex Hormozi (2.4M+ followers) have launched private communities through Game (charging $15,000/year for his high-end mastermind with 300+ members), and many creators on Circle are building thriving communities as additional revenue streams, combining cohort-based courses with ongoing membership access.

So where are the opportunities?

Okay, so here are my thoughts. First, the biz side. Then why so many Gen Zers are and will get in on the action.

Companies supercharging their communities

Every brand that’s selling to Gen Z should be thinking about IRL experiences, either by creating it or buying into an existing one.

My absolute favorite person in the subscription/membership space is Breana Teubner (founder of TYB "Try Your Best," who turned her community expertise into a rapidly growing agency) and my mind always goes back to her innovative approach to community building. Her work doesn't just rely on traditional engagement metrics – she creates genuine connections through initiatives like community-driven product development, where members directly influence future launches and get early access to limited drops.

And brands have been launching their communities here:

  • Rare Beauty revolutionized beauty community engagement with their "Rare Impact" program that goes beyond traditional loyalty points to create meaningful mental health advocacy initiatives

  • Drunk Elephant shows how prestige beauty brands can build cult followings through education-focused membership programs, where members get access to skincare masterclasses and product development insights

  • Bubble 2x’d their social engagement by using TYB to power their community

But remember… this stuff is for the super fans. I see such a huge opportunity for brands to capitalize on paid membership to access exclusive opportunities and experiences.

Here’s a perfect IRL example. I saw a TikToker charge people to drink coffee in her condo and she sells out everytime.

If I were Rabia, I would launch a "Serendipitous Society" membership program. For $150 annually, members get:

1. Priority access to book monthly coffee experiences before tickets go public

2. Exclusive member-only coffee tastings featuring rare beans and experimental brewing methods

3. A personalized ceramic mug handcrafted by local artists with your membership number (e.g., "Member #054")

4. Monthly specialty coffee beans delivered to your home, curated by Rabia

5. Access to virtual coffee masterclasses taught by Rabia and guest baristas

6. 15% discount on all regular Serendipitous Cafe experiences

7. Referral rewards: Get 20% of your friend's membership fee when they join

8. VIP invitations to seasonal coffee pairing events (desserts, chocolates, etc.)

9. Early access to limited edition merch (tote bags, coffee filters, etc.)

10. Member spotlight opportunity on Rabia's TikTok channel

11. Exclusive partnerships with local cafes and roasters ($300+ value in discounts)

12. Private Instagram community to share coffee moments and connect with other members

This preserves the exclusivity factor that makes her current offering successful while creating a sustainable revenue stream and building a stronger community.

Take The Room Podcast's Inside Summit as an example. They gathered 120 carefully selected innovators, investors, and community builders for an immersive day in NYC. The format brilliantly merged:

I volunteered during this event & suggested the use of Swsh for pictures

  • 5 hours of structured programming with industry experts

  • Content creation for future podcast episodes

  • High-value networking among attendees

  • Brand partnership opportunities with target audiences

  • CPG Brands goodies inside a mini shop

In fact, what we're seeing with podcast live events is the democratization of what was once reserved for major media companies and conference organizers. Today's podcast creators are reinventing the intersection of media and community, where authentic connection and content creation happen simultaneously. These gatherings are becoming the new salon-style meetups for the audio-first generation.

Let’s not forget ZCON, the only conference with all Gen Z speakers, which recently expanded to ZCANNES this year. ZCON is a community-first, IRL experience connecting the changemakers of tomorrow with the brands of today. Their recent conference was sponsored by big brands like LinkedIn, Yahoo, Spotify, and others.

Verticalized communities for every profession

Not every community is going to be a billion-dollar business like Chief. But if I could encourage someone to start any kind of business today, it would likely be a niche IRL community.

Here are just some examples of IRL communities in different sectors:

Politics: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are launching a DOGE podcast. This will explain what they are hoping to do with the new commission, which aims to reduce government spending. Maybe will have IRL too.

Creator: Creator Economy NYC by Brett Dashevsky- free events but has a contract with Teachable & multiple sponsors.

Pic of me at a Creator Economy event. They have good photographers!

HR: Parallel partnered with Zehra Naqvi to launch LifeWork, which is a series of events in NYC to empower healthier lives & meaningful work.

Sports: Brand new community called Her Game Plan by Natalie Santini.

Consumer: The Z List by Zehra Naqvi

AI: Build Clubs hosts AI events around the world

Over the next few years, I expect Gen Zers to tackle this in a big way — every profession & function will have a verticalized private member community, with curated on-demand educational resources, masterminds, access to speakers in their field, and unique peer networking opportunities IRL. Charge $1k a year for access, and with 1,000 members you’re making $1M a year. My bet in 2025 is that private intimate dinners will be the hot new focus for events and you will see all types of companies sponsoring events for their target audience, not just big tech companies. 

GenZtea IRL Events

I have my 1st venue brand sponsor! My goal is to have multiple free venues in different verticals.

Here are pictures from past events ⤵️

2nd Gen Z NYC Founder

swsh website

joinswsh.com/album/75b07e

December 10th

*I am planning another Gen Z event with Perly Dahan (we are looking for a venue right now)

New Ideas:

  • I am also thinking about launching a personal branding course (focused on LinkedIn) next year for creators for the new year.

  • IRL co-working for $10? If anyone is interested in co-working with me, feel free to reach out to

GenZtea Jobs