Brainchild launches with $100M from IMC to build kids' franchises
What's the deal? Brainchild Entertainment has launched with $100 million in committed capital from Integrated Media Company (IMC)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to build children's franchises across video, consumer products, gaming, publishing, and live experiences. The New York investment platform, which owns Toon Boom AnimationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, says it can "scale significantly beyond" the initial amount.
Who's behind it? Co-founders Michael Carroll, chief executive officer, and Fletcher Williams, chief operating officer, both come from Moonbug EntertainmentDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the company behind CoComelon and Blippi. Adina Pitt, who spent 16 years at Warner Bros. DiscoveryDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → leading kids and family content acquisitions, joins as managing director, content.
More on the team: Tara Day, formerly of HasbroDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Entertainment OneDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, joins as managing director, platforms; she built the YouTube strategy behind Peppa Pig, My Little Pony, and Transformers. Between them, the founding team has worked on CoComelon, LEGO Ninjago, Barney, Care Bears, Bakugan, and Blippi.
What's the endgame? Brainchild plans to develop intellectual property "grounded in a research-led learning framework," then extend each franchise across platforms. "We believe there's enormous demand for new high-quality children's franchises that isn't being met," Carroll said. "Brainchild is built to close that gap."
Why now? IMC acquired Toon Boom from Corus EntertainmentDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in 2023, and the market for kids' content has fragmented across formats and communities. "The next generation of major global kids' franchises will be born online," said Ben Loffredo, principal at IMC.
The signal: Backing a founding team drawn from Moonbug and Warner Bros. Discovery, IMC is betting that digital-native IP — the model that turned CoComelon and Blippi into global brands — is where the next children's franchises will come from, not legacy studios.
Read more: awn.com
Image credit: PatrickRich
