Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment

What Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment does

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is a global anti-piracy coalition founded in 2017 and headquartered in Los Angeles, operating under the Motion Picture Association. It conducts intelligence-led enforcement against digital piracy networks through four service lines: coordinated anti-piracy enforcement operations (civil litigation, criminal referrals, cease-and-desist actions), a confidential consumer piracy-reporting portal, the Watch Legally directory of 140+ legitimate content platforms, and research publications on piracy trends and consumer cybersecurity risks. ACE employs over 100 researchers, lawyers, and cybercrime experts worldwide and follows a three-pillar framework — Detect, Deter, Dismantle — combining advanced monitoring and analytics with cross-border civil and criminal enforcement.

ACE is funded entirely through membership contributions from more than 50 media and entertainment companies, with governance shared across a board comprising Amazon, Apple TV, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The coalition has established operational relationships with INTERPOL, Europol, U.S. HSI, DOJ, USTR, the European Commission, and national agencies across Latin America and APAC, enabling enforcement actions that span multiple jurisdictions. Recent operational milestones include the shutdown of MKVCinemas and its cloning tool (December 2025, 142.4M+ global visits disrupted), AnimePlay in Indonesia (March 2026, 5M+ registered users), the PirloTV-linked sports piracy ring serving Latin America (June 2026, 44 domains and 950M+ annual visits), and a $9 million default judgment against IPTV operator Brandon Weibley.

The coalition's go-to-market is membership-based and community-led rather than commercial, with no paid pricing model. Recent strategic moves — UEFA joining as the first sports governing body (October 2025), CME joining for Central and Eastern Europe (May 2026), the MPA Asia Pacific Copyright Enforcement Dialogue (April 2026), and the World Cup Anti-Piracy Task Force — signal expansion from film/TV into live sports, from a U.S./Hollywood base into EMEA and APAC, and from ad-hoc enforcement toward institutionalized regional task forces.

Name

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment

Legal name

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment

Website

https://alliance4creativity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is a nonprofit anti-piracy coalition powered by the Motion Picture Association, using intelligence-led enforcement, civil litigation, and law enforcement partnerships to disrupt digital piracy networks on behalf of more than 50 member studios, streamers, broadcasters, and sports associations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: ACE is funded through membership contributions from over 50 media and entertainment companies worldwide. The coalition draws upon the collective expertise and resources of its members, reinforced by the Motion Picture Association's content protection operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is an anti-piracy coalition powered by the Motion Picture Association that detects, deters, and dismantles digital piracy networks targeting film, television, and live sports content. Founded in 2017, it unites 50+ media and entertainment companies and deploys 100+ researchers, lawyers, and cybercrime experts to conduct enforcement actions, share intelligence, partner with law enforcement, and educate consumers.

Product overview

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is not a traditional product company but rather a global anti-piracy coalition that detects, deters, and dismantles digital piracy networks. The organization operates through four core service areas: (1) Anti-Piracy Enforcement Operations involving criminal referrals, civil litigation, and cease-and-desist actions against illegal streaming services; (2) Piracy Reporting Portal providing a confidential mechanism for consumers to report suspected piracy; (3) Watch Legally Platform Directory listing over 140 legitimate streaming services; and (4) Research and Consumer Risk Reports analyzing piracy trends and consumer cybersecurity threats. ACE leverages the collective expertise and resources of more than 50 media and entertainment member companies, reinforced by Motion Picture Association's content protection operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACE Coalition Anti-Piracy Enforcement Program Core coalition program through which ACE, on behalf of its 50+ member media and entertainment companies, detects, deters, and dismantles digital piracy networks via enforcement actions and law enforcement partnerships. Targeted at rights-holding studios, streaming platforms, broadcasters, and sports associations.
• ACE Live Tier Anti-Piracy Program Dedicated anti-piracy program within ACE focused on protecting live sports content from unauthorized streaming and redistribution. Targeted at sports associations, leagues, and broadcasters who are ACE members.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Central European Media Enterprises (CME)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026CME joined ACE to strengthen the coalition's global network. CME is a leading media company operating across Central and Eastern Europe with 47 TV channels reaching 49 million viewers. CME's membership underscores shared commitment to protecting intellectual property and supporting creative industries.
• Motion Picture Association Asia PacificcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026MPA Asia Pacific collaborates with ACE on Copyright Enforcement Dialogue 2026 in Taipei, bringing together policymakers, law enforcement, and industry experts across Asia-Pacific for coordinated action against digital piracy.
• UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025UEFA became the first sports governing body to join ACE, taking an active role in ACE's Live Tier which coordinates efforts to combat sports piracy operations worldwide. UEFA and UC3 work with ACE on intelligence-led enforcement, government cooperation, and member collaboration to disrupt piracy infrastructure before high-value live events. The partnership demonstrates effective online disruption complemented by intensified on-the-ground enforcement across territories.
• Motion Picture Association (MPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MPA powers ACE with its over 100-year legacy of advocacy for the entertainment industry. ACE draws upon MPA's content protection operations, global reach, and institutional expertise. Charles Rivkin serves as both MPA Chairman/CEO and ACE Chairman.
• UC3 (UEFA's Commercial Rights Entity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC3 oversees management, sales, and delivery of all commercial rights to UEFA's club competitions. UC3 works with ACE to tackle piracy and protect broadcast partners, making it a central priority in their anti-piracy efforts.
• Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst collaboration between ACE and IMPI under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding designed to strengthen cooperation against digital piracy in Mexico.
• U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE partnered with IPR Center to launch the World Cup Anti-Piracy Task Force. The IPR Center coordinates efforts to protect both the integrity of sports events and the safety of fans worldwide, working with FIFA, ACE, and international law enforcement.
• INTERPOLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE participates in INTERPOL training sessions and collaborates with international police coordination to strengthen regional cooperation against audiovisual piracy.
• EuropolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE works with Europol on cybercrime and piracy enforcement across European jurisdictions.
• U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE collaborates with DOJ on intellectual property enforcement and criminal referrals for piracy operators.
• U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE partners with USTR on intellectual property issues as part of its broader policy and enforcement efforts.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACE collaborates with European Commission on digital market integrity and piracy policy across EU member states.
• Mexican AuthoritiescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMexican authorities supported ACE in disrupting the PirloTV-linked piracy ring, marking first collaboration under the ACE-IMPI MOU.
• Dominican Republic National Police (DICAT, DEIDET)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDICAT and DEIDET departments of Dominican Republic National Police conducted raids following ACE criminal referral, arresting IPTV66 operators.
• Thailand Department of Special Investigations (DSI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDSI conducted Operation DEV Shutdown with ACE support, raiding six locations and closing INWIPTV illegal IPTV service.
• True Visions (Thailand)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThai broadcasting member of ACE that provided local support for DSI operation against INWIPTV piracy service.
• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerU.S. HSI supports ACE operations including arrests in Dominican Republic and ongoing anti-piracy enforcement globally.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA): European-based coalition of content owners and distributors focused on combating audiovisual piracy. Closest direct peer to ACE in mission and structure — both operate as membership-based coalitions coordinating cross-border anti-piracy enforcement, though AAPA is geographically concentrated in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Irdeto: Established content protection and platform security company serving pay-TV operators, OTT platforms, and rights holders. Broader incumbent offering software-based anti-piracy technology, watermarking, and conditional access systems — competitive with ACE's enforcement mission but delivered as commercial technology rather than coalition enforcement.
• MarkMonitor (Clarivate Brand Protection): Long-established brand and IP protection services division of Clarivate, providing domain takedowns, anti-counterfeiting, and online brand enforcement. Adjacent comparable to ACE on the IP enforcement axis but focused broadly on brand protection across industries rather than audiovisual content-specific coalition enforcement.

Regional players

• LaLiga Anti-Piracy Unit: Spain's LaLiga operates one of the most aggressive sports anti-piracy divisions, having secured thousands of blocking orders and pioneering legal tactics. Functionally comparable to ACE's Live Tier but focused exclusively on Spanish football rights and serving as a member-driven partner rather than as a peer coalition.
• PallyCon: Asia-Pacific content protection platform operated by INKA Entworks, providing DRM, watermarking, and anti-piracy services. Comparable to ACE's enforcement mission but commercial and APAC-focused, particularly strong in Korean and Southeast Asian markets.
• Premier League Anti-Piracy Operations: The English Premier League operates its own substantial anti-piracy enforcement program, securing blocking orders and partnering with law enforcement. Functionally comparable to ACE's Live Tier for sports but serves only English Premier League rights and operates as an in-house team rather than a member-funded coalition.

Emerging players

• Muso: London-based anti-piracy analytics firm providing intelligence and demand-side measurement of piracy consumption. Comparable to ACE's intelligence and enforcement mission but operating as a commercial SaaS vendor rather than a coalition, focusing on data analytics rather than litigation and law enforcement coordination.
• Friend MTS: Content security company specializing in streaming piracy detection, watermarking, and broadcaster-side enforcement tools. Comparable mission to ACE's detection pillar but commercial product-led rather than coalition-based, primarily serving sports broadcasters and pay-TV operators.
• OpSec Security: Brand protection and anti-counterfeiting company providing online anti-piracy monitoring, enforcement, and authentication services. Comparable to ACE on the IP protection dimension but broader in scope (brand, physical goods, digital content) and commercial SaaS-model rather than coalition-led.

Others

• INHOPE: International Association of Internet Hotlines coordinating child sexual abuse material reporting rather than copyright enforcement. Adjacent in operating model (membership coalition coordinating with law enforcement) but materially different in subject matter, illustrating the broader coalition-enforcement category ACE occupies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ACE_antipiracy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alliance-for-creativity-and-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

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