Sesame Street

What Sesame Street does

Sesame Street is an American educational children's television series produced by Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1969 and headquartered in New York City. The program combines live-action, puppetry (Muppets), animation, and music to deliver play-based early childhood education covering literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, and cultural awareness, serving children from infancy through approximately age 7 along with their families, caregivers, and educators.

The core technology and product stack centers on a proprietary Muppet character library (Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Grover, Abby Cadabby) protected as trademarks, combined with a content library of more than 4,000 episodes spanning seasons 1 through 38+. Distribution is omnichannel: the show is licensed to streaming platforms (Netflix, HBO Max, Tubi), broadcast on PBS, distributed via official and partner YouTube channels (including a collaboration with Toys and Colors / pocket.watch), delivered through iOS and Roku apps, and extended into gaming on Roblox (Sesame Street Neighborhood Adventures). Live experiences include Sesame Place theme parks in Philadelphia and San Diego, touring Sesame Street Live stage shows, and a presence at the American Dream mall attraction. Sub-brands extend the franchise into adjacent formats: Mecha Builders (STEM), Helpsters, Esme and Roy, Bea's Block, and The Not Too Late Show with Elmo.

The business model blends licensing and royalty revenue from streaming and broadcast distribution, advertising and sponsorship (Google, Beaches Resorts), corporate and philanthropic donations to the nonprofit (including a $100M MacArthur Foundation grant in 2017 and a $20M USAID grant in February 2025), merchandise and digital app sales, and theme park and live-event ticket revenue. Content is largely free to end consumers via PBS, YouTube, and ad-supported streaming, with paid access through Netflix, HBO Max, dedicated apps, and theme park admission. Recent strategic activity centers on monetizing the back-catalog on Tubi, expanding cultural and linguistic reach (Arabic, Spanish, World Cup and Olympics integrations), and deepening digital-native audience acquisition through creator partnerships.

Name

Sesame Street

Legal name

Sesame Workshop

Website

https://sesamestreet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sesame Street, produced by nonprofit Sesame Workshop since 1969, is an American educational children's television series using Muppet characters to teach literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills to preschool-age children and their families across streaming, broadcast, apps, gaming, and live entertainment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Educational Media

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool & Early Learning Channels (Ages 2–5) (MPABAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood Educational Media (Songs, Stories, Interactive) (EDAGALAC), Kids & Family Curated Content Platforms (MPACAKAL), Children’s & Family Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAD)

Keywords

• Children's educational media
• Preschool television content
• Family entertainment programming
• Early childhood education
• Puppet character licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Streaming and Broadcast Licensing: Licensing deals with major streaming platforms (Netflix, HBO Max, Tubi) and broadcast networks (PBS local stations) for distribution of Sesame Street video content. One-year licensing deal with Tubi for 250 classic episodes.
2. YouTube Content Licensing: Collaboration with YouTube creator channels (Toys and Colors) to release Sesame Street character content on YouTube, extending reach to digital-first audiences.
3. Theme Park and Live Entertainment: Revenue from Sesame Place theme parks (Philadelphia, San Diego), Sesame Street Live touring shows (Elmo's Got the Moves, Elmo and Friends Say Hello), and American Dream mall attraction.
4. Content Licensing (Historic Archive): Licensing of classic Sesame Street episode archive (seasons 1–38) to streaming platforms such as Tubi, generating recurring licensing revenue from back-catalog content.
5. Digital Apps and Merchandise: Revenue from dedicated apps (Sesame Street Games Club, iOS), Roblox game (Neighborhood Adventures), and merchandise (books, toys) sold via digital storefronts and retail partners.
6. Corporate Sponsorships and Donations: Support from corporate sponsors (Google, Beaches Resorts) and charitable donations to Sesame Workshop, supporting educational mission and content production.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sesame Street produces and distributes educational children's media content centered on original Muppet characters (Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Grover, Abby Cadabby). The offering spans a television series, digital website with games and videos, mobile apps, spinoff shows, theme parks, live touring shows, and licensed streaming distribution. The content delivers evidence-informed early childhood education covering literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, and cultural awareness for preschool-age children and their families.

Product overview

Sesame Street is a comprehensive educational media brand offering a multi-platform portfolio of content and experiences. The core product is the Sesame Street television show and its associated digital platform (sesamestreet.org) featuring interactive games and videos. The portfolio includes spinoff series (Sesame Street Mecha Builders, The Not Too Late Show with Elmo, Bea's Block, Esme and Roy, Helpsters), live entertainment (Sesame Street Live touring shows, Sesame Place theme parks), streaming distribution (Netflix, HBO Max, YouTube, Tubi, mobile apps), gaming experiences (Roblox game, Sesame Street Games Club App), and educational resources. The brand extends its reach through strategic partnerships like the Toys and Colors YouTube collaboration, as well as sports broadcasting partnerships (FIFA World Cup, Winter Olympics).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bea's Block: Spin-off show featuring the character Bea and her friends exploring play and learning.
• The Not Too Late Show with Elmo
• Esme and Roy
• Sesame Street Mecha Builders
• Helpsters

Products and services

• Sesame Street Website (sesamestreet.org)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 850 million weekly views on YouTube via partner channel Toys and Colors; described as the 'biggest kids creator in the world'
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FOX SportsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 June 2026FOX Sports partnered with Sesame Street for the FIFA World Cup, with Sesame Street characters (Elmo) publicly supporting the U.S. men's national soccer team. Characters interview players and help explain soccer to new fans throughout the tournament as part of the partnership to engage younger audiences.
• FIFAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 May 2026FIFA announced Sesame Street characters as special appearances in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show on July 19 at the New York–New Jersey Stadium, alongside BTS, Shakira, and Madonna. The appearance supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund for children's education and football opportunities.
• TubicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 31 March 2026Tubi launched a selection of 250 classic Sesame Street episodes from seasons 1 through 38 (1969–2007) on its platform starting April 1, 2026, as part of a one-year licensing deal. Additional episodes are added quarterly. The deal reflects the show's enduring popularity and nostalgic appeal.
• NBCUniversal (NBCU)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 October 2025NBCU features Sesame Street characters (Elmo, Cookie Monster, and others) in its broadcast and social media coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy (February 2026). Characters participate in activations across social and broadcast media, building on their previous partnership for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
• Toys and Colors (pocket.watch)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 March 2025Toys and Colors, the kid-focused YouTube creator channel affiliated with pocket.watch, launched a collaboration with Sesame Street featuring Muppets (Grover, Elmo, Abby Cadabby) with videos releasing across both channels in late March. Toys and Colors is described as the 'biggest kids creator in the world' with over 850 million weekly views on YouTube alone. pocket.watch invested in Toys and Colors in 2021.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle is listed as a proud supporter and sponsor of Sesame Street, featured in the website footer alongside Sesame Workshop branding and on dedicated sponsorship pages.
• Beaches ResortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeaches Resorts is a sponsor of Sesame Workshop with a dedicated co-branded page (sesamestreet.org/content/beaches-and-sesame-workshop), featured in the footer sponsors section alongside Google.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Pocket.watch: Kids media company that manages YouTube creator IP (including Toys and Colors) and has an active partnership with Sesame Street. Comparable as a kids-content distribution and brand-management partner operating in the same digital ecosystem.
• Super Simple Songs / Skyship Entertainment: Producer of Super Simple Songs, one of the most popular preschool music/educational franchises on YouTube. Comparable in targeting early-childhood education through digital-first video content, with overlapping YouTube-driven reach.

Others

• Mattel (Fisher-Price): Mattel's Fisher-Price division produces educational toys and content for preschoolers. Comparable in audience and learning-through-play positioning, and an existing merchandise/licensing counterpart for Sesame Street's character IP.
• The Lego Group: Global toy and content company with a strong play-based learning franchise and Lego Education. Comparable in targeting early-childhood developmental learning and is a thematic peer in educational play, though products rather than media are the primary offering.

Direct peers

• PBS Kids: Public broadcaster's children's programming block and digital platform, the longstanding U.S. home of Sesame Street. Operates preschool and early-elementary educational content across TV, web, and apps using a non-commercial model, directly comparable to Sesame Workshop's mission and audience.
• Highlights for Children: Long-running U.S. educational children's media company producing Highlights magazine, books, and digital content for kids. Comparable as a legacy educational kids content brand with multi-format distribution and a parent-focused value proposition.
• CoComelon (Moonbug Entertainment): YouTube-born preschool animated series now a Moonbug/Paramount property; among the most-viewed children's properties in the world. Comparable in audience (preschool) and platform footprint (YouTube + Netflix), and a direct competitor for digital-native family attention.
• BBC Studios Kids & Family: Produces Bluey, Hey Duggee, and other globally distributed preschool educational properties. Highly comparable in mission (educational preschool content) and distribution model (broadcast + streaming licensing), and a primary international competitor for educational mindshare.

Broad incumbents

• Disney Junior: Disney's preschool-focused linear and streaming brand carrying shows like Doc McStuffins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Bluey. Directly competes with Sesame Street for preschoolers' screen time and merchandise dollars, with significantly larger parent-company distribution and IP.
• Nick Jr. (Paramount): Paramount's preschool-focused cable and streaming brand featuring shows like PAW Patrol, Blue's Clues, and Dora. Competes with Sesame Street for the same preschool slot on cable/streaming and adjacent licensed merchandise categories, but is part of a much larger media conglomerate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sesamestreet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sesamestreet
• Facebookfacebook.com/SesameStreet
• Instagraminstagram.com/sesamestreet
• TikToktiktok.com/@sesamestreet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sesame-street-retail-stores

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sesame Street