Animaj

Oct 4, 2023

Whether it is an exit, an IPO, a fresh round of funding or an acquisition, at XAnge we like to celebrate the milestones of our portfolio companies. Today, we're happy to share Animaj's acquisition of the award-winning and iconic Spanish brand POCOYO. It's a major step in its ambition to build the next generation global media company for kids. If you don’t speak Spanish, you may not know POCOYO. But in the latin-speaking world, it has been a cherished brand deeply ingrained in the hearts of children for 21 years, with an insane 98% brand awareness in Spain! Its educational content, endearing characters, and engaging narratives have enchanted multiple generations of children and their parents alike. Today, POCOYO has a robust presence across a spectrum of media platforms, including free and pay TV, VOD, mobile apps, and games (with over 100 million downloads), along with a vast YouTube following exceeding 40 million subscribers. This enduring appeal continues to captivate millions of children and families worldwide. Transforming high-quality IPs into multi-platform franchises Through a digital-first approach, and a thoughtful use of technology to make content production more efficient, XAnge-backed startup Animaj aims to turn POCOYO into a global multi-generational franchise, inspiring children all over the world to dream big and foster a lifelong passion for learning. This acquisition marks the beginning of Animaj’s mission to unite the most powerful independent children’s intellectual properties (IPs). Founded in Paris in May 2022 with the support of XAnge, Left Lane Capital, and Daphni, Animaj has thus far secured a total of 100 million euros in debt and equity to bring its vision to life. In addition to its flagship POCOYO, Animaj also owns and develops “Hey Kids” and “Kidibli”. Learning from other industries Animaj’s ambitions are big: it aims to create the global franchises of the future, by leveraging the dynamic transformation of the children’s media sector. This includes integrating AI for content production scalability and adapting to the rapid shift in children’s content consumption from traditional linear television to digital platforms. To do so, Gregory Dray and Sixte de Vauplane, the two cofounders of Animaj are perfectly complementary: Gregory is a seasoned expert of the entertainment industry, while Sixte has a strong tech background, since he previously cofounded and managed Nestor, a leading french food delivery company. At XAnge, we firmly believe that the children’s entertainment sector is ripe for disruption, akin to the music industry a few years ago. We draw inspiration from our experience with Believe – which successfully went public in 2021 – and we anticipate that our insights will be valuable to the Animaj team. We wish Animaj a similarly successful journey! Looking for more content ?