French AI-powered kids’ Media Company Animaj Secures €73.8Million Funding

The round was led by HarbourView Equity Partners from the U.S. and Bpifrance Large Venture from France. Other participants included JP Morgan, Bootstrap Europe, Left Lane Capital, XAnge, Daphni, and Marquee Ventures.

Animaj will use the new funding to grow its digital-first, multi-platform ecosystem across YouTube, Roblox, TikTok, Spotify, and FAST channels. The goal is to turn original content into global franchises from day one.

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The company is also developing the next version of its AI model to deliver more interactive and personalised experiences.

In addition, Animaj plans to fast-track strategic IP acquisitions—building on its recent purchase of the iconic Hispanic brand Pocoyo—as it expands a diverse portfolio of brands, from preschool content to tween entertainment, and from digital-native to cross-generational properties.

“There’s an extraordinary pool of kids’ IP developed by independent studios and creators that hasn’t reached its full potential. With a modern, platform-native approach, we want to amplify these brands globally without compromising their creative DNA,” says Gregory Dray, co-founder & Chief Business Officer.

Co-founded in 2022 by serial entrepreneur Sixte de Vauplane and former Google/YouTube executive Grégory Dray, Animaj is a modern kids’ media company focused on building inspiring brands for families around the world.

Animaj believes the future of kids’ entertainment lies in the platforms where kids already spend their time—like YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, Netflix, and Roblox. To succeed on these platforms, content needs to be created in the right format, with engaging stories, and delivered at a fast pace.

To meet this demand, Animaj has built its own GenAI animation pipeline. This technology reduces both production time and costs while keeping the creative quality high. It uses AI to turn sketches into poses and adds a motion-in-betweening layer for smooth, expressive animation—preserving each character’s unique style and tone.

Founded in 2022, Animaj has seen rapid growth, becoming the 5th largest digital kids’ content player globally on YouTube, with over 22 billion views per year and 240 million monthly unique viewers.

Its flagship brand, Pocoyo, is now available on more than 100 platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Spotify, and various FAST channels.

“We’re building something that’s never existed before. Animaj is a new kind of media company: data-driven, AI-powered, digital-first but multiplatform by design. We start where kids are—YouTube, Roblox, TikTok, Spotify—and we build from there,” says Sixte de Vauplane, co-founder & CEO.

About Animaj

Animaj is a new-age media company creating inspiring, high-quality content for kids and families around the world. Using a digital-first, AI-powered approach, Animaj acquires and transforms top intellectual properties (IPs) into multi-platform franchises. Their independently produced content is designed to spark imagination, encourage exploration, and nurture creativity in children everywhere.