What pocket.watch does

pocket.watch is a privately-held, Culver City-based creator media company founded in 2017 by Chris M. Williams (former Chief Audience Officer at Maker Studios) that transforms top-performing kids and family YouTube channels into multi-platform entertainment franchises. The company manages a network of 59 creators collectively reaching 1.3 billion subscribers and 7.4 billion monthly views across 43 platforms in 81 countries, with flagship channels including Ryan's World (65.4M subs), Love Diana (361M subs), and Toys and Colors (76.5M subs, most-watched US-based YouTube channel in 2024). Its core offering is curating YouTube video catalogs and packaging them into TV-ready compilations, original series, theatrical films, and merchandise franchises, with distribution through Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock, Disney+, Amazon Kids+, Tubi, Roku, and the company's own Ryan and Friends Plus SVOD channel.

The company's technology stack combines proprietary data infrastructure aggregating cross-platform viewership analytics with the Clock.Work subsidiary — an AI-powered, COPPA-compliant advertising agency serving brands such as Mattel, Hasbro, Nintendo, Paramount, and Universal. pocket.watch has integrated Amazon's Project Nara AI production platform (via the GenAI Creators' Fund, 2026) and Veritone's AI for content optimization and rights management, enabling production of original animated series like Love, Diana Music Hunters for Prime Video. The company is COPPA-compliant through partnerships with CARU/ESRB-certified SuperAwesome and kidSAFE/Privo-certified KIDOZ, and holds Google sales-partner status for YouTube Kids advertising.

pocket.watch operates a diversified revenue model across content licensing (SVOD/AVOD/FAST), Clock.Work advertising, merchandise licensing (with retail presence at Walmart, Smyth's, and Big W), theatrical distribution (Ryan's World The Movie in 2,100 theaters via Falling Forward Films), and creator revenue sharing. The company has distributed over $100 million in cumulative payouts to creator partners and is venture-backed by Viacom, Greycroft, and UTA Ventures, with notable individual investors including Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Landau. It was named to TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025 and maintains 51–100 employees.

Name

pocket.watch

Legal name

PocketWatch, Inc.

Website

https://pocket.watch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

pocket.watch is a Culver City-based creator media company that transforms top kids and family YouTube channels (59 creators, 1.3B subscribers) into multi-platform entertainment franchises through content licensing, its Clock.Work kid-safe ad agency, merchandise, and theatrical distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Kids & Family Creator Media

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids & Family Curated Content Platforms (MPACAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational Games & Kids/Families Game Studios (MPAFAAAI), Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALALAN)

Keywords

• Kids creator media
• Family entertainment studio
• Content distribution network
• Kid-safe advertising
• Creator franchise development

Headquarters

HQ city

Culver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Content Licensing & Distribution: Licensing creator content to streaming platforms (Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock, Disney+, Amazon Kids+, Tubi) as TV-ready compilations and original series. Distribution across SVOD, AVOD, and FAST channels.
2. Advertising & Brand Partnerships (Clock.Work): Kid-safe advertising agency connecting brands with Gen Alpha audiences through COPPA-compliant executions. Revenue from custom influencer video, YouTube media buying, OTT co-viewing, and branded content integrations. Brands include Mattel, Hasbro, Nintendo, Paramount, Universal.
3. Merchandise & Goods Licensing: Franchise extensions including toys, apparel, and gaming products through licensing agreements. Love, Diana products available at Walmart, Smyth's, and Big W. Toys and Colors Kaleidoscope City toy line and publishing products.
4. Theatrical Distribution: Creator-driven film released in 2,100 movie theaters (Ryan's World The Movie: Titan Universe Adventure), representing a first for creator-driven content in theatrical release.
5. Creator Revenue Sharing: Revenue sharing model with creator partners; has generated over $100 million in payouts to creator partners through content monetization across platforms.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels11 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

pocket.watch identifies top-performing kids and family YouTube creators and transforms their video content into multi-platform franchises. The company curates and packages YouTube videos into TV-ready compilations, original animated series, theatrical films, SVOD/AVOD/FAST channel programming, consumer merchandise (toys, apparel, games), and runs Clock.Work, a COPPA-compliant kid-safe advertising agency connecting brands with Gen Alpha audiences.

Product overview

pocket.watch is a digital-first creator media company that operates as a multi-product studio and distribution platform for kids and family content. Its core offering is transforming top-performing YouTube creator channels into premium, TV-ready long-form content distributed across its own SVOD channel (Ryan and Friends Plus), a FAST channel, a branded mobile app, and syndicated across 40+ leading platforms including Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock, Disney+, Tubi, and Roku. The company extends creator brands into franchise properties including animated series (Love, Diana hybrid series), physical goods and merchandise (toys, apparel), and gaming. Its Clock.Work advertising agency provides AI-powered, COPPA-compliant kid-safe advertising across YouTube, OTT, and gaming. Recent additions include participation in the Amazon MGM Studios/AWS GenAI Creators' Fund using Project Nara for AI-powered animated content production (Love, Diana Music Hunters for Prime Video), and the Hulu original series Rabbit Hole (2026). The company manages a network of 59+ creators reaching 1.3 billion subscribers across 43 platforms in 81 countries, having generated over $100 million in payouts to creator partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creator Content Syndication & Distribution End-to-end service that identifies popular kid-friendly YouTube videos, curates and enhances them to meet quality and technical standards, and packages them into half-hour episodes distributed as TV-ready compilations across 40+ leading video channels and platforms globally.
• Ryan and Friends Plus Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) channel featuring exclusive original shows and a universe of videos from Ryan, his cartoon crew, and favorite kid-creators from YouTube, available on Roku Channel, Prime Video Channels, and Comcast Xfinity. Content is 100% commercial-free and curated for learning and fun.
• Clock.Work Internal advertising agency leveraging data and AI to ensure safe, compliant COPPA-compliant advertising executions for brands across YouTube, OTT, and gaming platforms, targeting preschool, bridge, teen/tween, and co-viewing audiences with Gen Alpha kids and parents. Capabilities include custom influencer video, YouTube Reserve Media, YouTube Kids sales partnership, OTT co-viewing, and bespoke ad creative.
• Creator-Branded Merchandise Collaborations with industry-leading partners to develop innovative products including toys, apparel, and gaming items that bring the world's biggest kids and family creator brands to retailers globally, including Walmart, Smyth's, and Big W for Love, Diana products.
• Love, Diana Franchise Global franchise led by Diana from the Kids Diana Show (361M subscribers, 212B lifetime views), featuring a 40-episode hybrid animated series, goods, games, and licensing. Includes the animated Land of Play storyline and merchandise at major retailers.
• p.w Games Gaming division of pocket.watch that extends creator brands into interactive gaming experiences, including the Ryan's World Roblox Experience which delivered 75K item adoptions and 600K game sessions for a Paramount Clifford The Big Red Dog partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 59 creator partners with 1.3 billion combined subscribers generating 7.4 billion monthly views
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Amazon MGM Studios / AWSflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Through the GenAI Creators' Fund, pocket.watch produces animated series (Love, Diana Music Hunters) using Amazon's Project Nara AI production platform built on AWS infrastructure. Amazon provides grants, AI production tools, and Prime Video distribution for content developed by pocket.watch creators. This positions pocket.watch as a key content partner in Amazon's AI-driven entertainment strategy.
• BuzzFeed StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Co-production partner alongside pocket.watch for 'Cupcake & Friends' under Amazon MGM Studios GenAI Creators' Fund, one of three inaugural animated series greenlit for Prime Video through the initiative.
• HulucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 October 2025Distribution partner for original series 'Rabbit Hole' premiering in 2026, featuring collaborations with 12 digital creators and targeting Gen Alpha audience. Expands pocket.watch creator content to Hulu's streaming platform.
• Mark Rober / CrunchLabsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 May 2025YouTube creator collaboration between Mark Rober (69.2M subscribers) and Toys and Colors (76.5M subscribers) featuring kids Kaden and Andrea at CrunchLabs HQ for science challenges and laser maze. Supports CrunchLabs build box subscription strategy through content promotion.
• Sesame WorkshopflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2025Strategic content collaboration between Toys and Colors and beloved Sesame Street Muppets (Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby). Videos released March 2025 across both channels, combining Sesame Street's 56-year educational legacy with Toys and Colors' digital dominance. Aimed at teaching children skills like ABCs, Rock Paper Scissors, and Freeze Dance.
• Disney+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming distribution partner for pocket.watch creator content catalog, part of expansion of creator-driven programming to major streaming platforms.
• PeacockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming distribution partner for pocket.watch creator content catalog.
• Amazon Kids+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon's kid-focused streaming platform serving as distribution partner for pocket.watch content.
• VeritonecoreTechnology or IntegrationAI partnership announced September 2024, leveraging Veritone's AI capabilities for content optimization, analytics, and rights management across pocket.watch's creator network.
• MattelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClock.Work advertising partner for Kids Diana Show campaign targeting young girls with focus on music content. Example campaign showcasing Mattel products through influencer content.
• HasbrocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClock.Work campaigns include Beyblade X Tops promotion with mega influencer for tween boys, and NERF brand awareness campaign targeting kids 6+ with LankyBox and YT Shorts.
• NintendocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-long partnership with Ryan's World including flagship store activation at Nintendo NYC with Boys & Girls Club. Campaign achieved 38% lift in Nintendo Switch ownership among Ryan's World fans.
• ParamountcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClock.Work partnership for Clifford The Big Red Dog movie, including custom mini games and adoptable Clifford character in Ryan's World Roblox Experience. Results: 75K item adoptions across 600K game sessions.
• Universal/IlluminationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClock.Work campaign for Migration movie featuring custom animated duck family assets in popular YouTube videos. Achieved 5% higher VCR on YouTube Kids compared to standard brand media.
• YouTubeflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary platform for creator content distribution. pocket.watch's network of 59 creators reaches 1.3 billion subscribers on YouTube, which serves as the foundation for all franchise development and expansion to other platforms.
• YouTube KidscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoogle-certified sales partner for YouTube Kids advertising, enabling brand partners to run COPPA-compliant ad campaigns in the YouTube Kids environment.
• Falling Forward FilmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTheatrical distribution partner for Ryan's World The Movie: Titan Universe Adventure, enabling release in 2,100 movie theaters.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Moonbug Entertainment: Acquired by Candle Media for an estimated $3B, Moonbug is the closest direct peer — a kids and family digital media company that owns and develops IP originating from digital platforms (Cocomelon, Blippi) and distributes across streaming and consumer products. Directly comparable business model to pocket.watch's creator-network-to-franchise approach.
• Awesomeness (Viacom18/Paramount): Nickelodeon/Paramount-owned digital-first studio producing scripted and unscripted content for Gen Z and younger audiences across YouTube, TikTok, and streaming. Directly comparable digital-native studio model, though more teen-skewing than pocket.watch's kids focus.
• 9 Story Media Group: Independent kids and family content creator/producer with brands like Blue's Clues & You and Peppa Pig production credits; Brown Bag Films animation studio and Zodiak Kids library. Comparable in building long-form kids franchises for global streaming distribution.
• WildBrain: Canadian publicly-traded kids and family entertainment company that manages content libraries (Peppa Pig, Teletubbies), runs the WildBrain Spark YouTube network, and distributes across streaming and consumer products. Direct competitor in YouTube-driven kids content distribution and franchise extension.

Emerging players

• Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment: Owner of Crackle and a growing kids content portfolio (via Screen Media and Halcyon TV) distributed on FAST channels. Competes with pocket.watch's FAST channel distribution strategy and kids ad-supported streaming inventory.
• ZAG (ZAG America): Creator of the Miraculous Ladybug franchise with global streaming (Netflix) and consumer products distribution. Comparable in taking an originally digitally-native IP into multi-platform franchise monetization, though stronger on the animation/linear side than YouTube-originated content.

Broad incumbents

• Mattel (HIT Entertainment): Owns HIT Entertainment (Thomas & Friends, PAW Patrol-adjacent IP) and is one of pocket.watch's largest Clock.Work advertising partners. Competes for kids franchise shelf space and toy-licensed streaming content, while also being a customer.
• DreamWorks Animation (NBCUniversal): Major kids and family animation studio owned by Universal, producing theatrical and streaming content (Boss Baby, Gabby's Dollhouse) and is a Clock.Work advertising partner (Migration campaign). Represents incumbent competition for streaming slots and franchise shelf space.
• Netflix Kids & Family: The dominant global streaming platform with an extensive original kids and family slate, including creator-adjacent content (CoComelon adjacent licensing, original animation). Not a direct peer but a major customer/competitor for Gen Alpha streaming attention and creator IP licensing.

Others

• Veritone: AI technology partner providing content optimization, analytics, and rights management to pocket.watch. Relevant adjacent infrastructure provider rather than direct competitor, included for comparability on AI-driven media operations strategy.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pocketwatchhq
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCElkh4b877xBOLlRX_6o2ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/Pocketwatch-242282036235928
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pocketwatch-studios
• Instagraminstagram.com/pocketwatchhq

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors6 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about pocket.watch