UFA GmbH

What UFA GmbH does

UFA GmbH is a privately held German media production company headquartered in Potsdam, founded in 1917 as Universum Film AG. It produces film, television movies, series, entertainment and competition shows, documentaries, and gaming content for German and international clients. Operations are organized into six wholly-owned divisions — UFA FICTION, UFA SHOW & FACTUAL, UFA SERIAL DRAMA, UFA DOCUMENTARY, UFA MITTE, and UFA GOOD GAMES — supported by UFA Academy for talent development and a dedicated Casting platform. The company employs 501-1,000 people.

UFA's revenue model is B2B production services: the company secures production commissions and licensing deals directly with major German broadcasters (ZDF, RTL), international streamers (Prime Video), and film co-production partners (Warner Bros.). Pricing is project-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution occurs through theatrical release, television broadcast, and streaming platforms; content reaches 64.5 million viewers annually across 21 broadcasters and streamers, with over 6,500 hours of broadcast television produced each year.

The company's competitive position rests on a 100-year brand heritage, an extensive content library, two International Emmy Awards, and embedded relationships with Germany's principal public and commercial broadcasters. Recent activity includes the 2021 acquisition of Hashtag Daily, the theatrical film 'Emil und die Detektive' co-produced with Warner Bros. (scheduled September 2026), competition format 'Holey Moley Minigolf Extreme' for Prime Video, and ongoing franchise work such as 'Bauer sucht Frau International' for RTL. Geographic footprint is primarily DACH, with international distribution through streaming and co-production partnerships.

Name

UFA GmbH

Legal name

UFA GmbH

Website

https://ufa.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

UFA GmbH is a German media production company founded in 1917 that produces films, television series, shows, documentaries, and gaming content for major broadcasters including ZDF, RTL, and Prime Video, with over 6,500 broadcast hours annually reaching 64.5 million viewers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

TV and Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

QC, Compliance & Certification (Technical/Editorial, Platform Specs) (MPAHALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

VFX Review, QC & Delivery (Client Review, Conform, Final Outputs) (MPAHABAL)

Keywords

• Television production
• Film production
• Documentary production
• Entertainment formats
• Serial drama

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Content Production Services: UFA GmbH operates as a production company creating film, television series, shows, and documentary content for broadcasters and streaming platforms. Revenue is generated through production fees and licensing deals with broadcasters such as ZDF, RTL, and streaming platforms like Prime Video.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UFA GmbH is a German media production company that produces film, television movies, series, entertainment shows, documentaries, and gaming content on a commission and co-production basis. The company works with major German broadcasters (ZDF, RTL), international streaming platforms (Prime Video), and film studios (Warner Bros.) to develop, produce, and distribute content. Revenue is generated through production fees and content licensing deals.

Product overview

UFA GmbH is a German media production company with a multi-division structure comprising UFA FICTION (film/series), UFA SHOW & FACTUAL (entertainment shows), UFA SERIAL DRAMA, UFA DOCUMENTARY, UFA MITTE GmbH, and UFA GOOD GAMES (gaming), supported by UFA Academy for talent training, plus Casting and Ticketing services. The company produced over 6,500 hours of broadcast television in 2024 across 21 channels and streamers, reaching 64.5 million viewers, and holds 2 International Emmys. Recent productions include 'Emil und die Detektive' (cinema release September 2026), 'Holey Moley - Minigolf Extreme' (Prime Video), and 'Bauer sucht Frau International' (RTL).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UFA Academy: Training and development programs for talent and industry professionals.

Products and services

• Emil und die Detektive Feature film adaptation produced by UFA Fiction in co-production with Warner Bros. for theatrical cinema release in Germany.
• Holey Moley - Minigolf Extreme Humorous competition show produced by UFA Show & Factual for distribution on Amazon Prime Video.
• Die Kobra von Wingen (AT) Comedy television series produced by UFA Fiction for ZDF, centered on a capercaillie escape storyline.
• Game of Keys (AT) Television series that premiered at the Seriencamp Festival in Cologne.
• Bauer sucht Frau International International farming romance reality television format produced by UFA for German commercial broadcaster RTL.
• Casting Services Online casting platform for talent discovery and selection across UFA productions, including open casting events such as DSDS casting.
• Ticketing Online ticket sales and event management services for UFA events and screenings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 64.5 million viewers in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZDFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZDF is a major German public-service TV broadcaster that commissions and co-produces content with UFA. UFA has produced films and series for ZDF, including the comedy production 'Die Kobra von Wingen' for ZDF.
• Prime VideocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrime Video is a major streaming platform that commissions UFA productions including competition shows like HOLEY MOLEY MINIGOLF EXTREME and other formats.
• RTLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRTL is a major German commercial broadcaster partnering with UFA on reality and entertainment formats including DSDS (Deutsche suchen den Superstar) and Bauer sucht Frau International.
• Warner Bros.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarner Bros. Film Productions Germany co-produced the film Emil und die Detektive with UFA Fiction.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Leonine Studios: German media company operating across production, distribution, and licensing for film, series, and entertainment formats. Directly comparable to UFA's integrated production-distribution model serving the German market.
• Beta Film: German-based production and distribution company producing premium drama and entertainment content for global broadcasters and streamers. Closely comparable to UFA in producing premium scripted content with international distribution ambitions.
• Studio Hamburg: German production group producing cinema films, TV movies, series, and entertainment formats for German public broadcasters (NDR, ARD) and commercial partners. Comparable to UFA in scope, customer base, and historic production heritage.
• Constantin Film: Major German film and series production company producing cinema films, TV movies, and series for German broadcasters and international distributors. Directly comparable to UFA Fiction in production scope, target customers (German broadcasters), and B2B production model.
• Bavaria Film: One of Germany's largest film and TV production companies with similar historical roots and a broad slate of fiction, documentary, and entertainment productions. Operates major production facilities and serves the same German broadcaster customer base as UFA.

Broad incumbents

• Banijay (Endemol Shine): Global production giant (parent of Endemol Shine, creator of formats like Big Brother and Deal or No Deal). Competes with UFA Show & Factual in entertainment formats and has comparable scripted drama capabilities at much larger scale.
• ITV Studios: International production and distribution arm of ITV, producing drama, entertainment, and factual content for global streamers and broadcasters. Comparable to UFA in scripted and entertainment production for enterprise broadcaster/streamer clients.
• Fremantle: One of the world's largest production companies producing drama, entertainment, factual, and documentary content globally. Operates at far larger scale than UFA but with overlapping capabilities in scripted drama and entertainment formats for global streamers.
• Warner Bros. Television Studios: Global scripted and entertainment production powerhouse and an existing co-production partner of UFA (on Emil und die Detektive). Comparable as a premium scripted/film production counterpart with broader geographic reach and deeper studio infrastructure.
• All3Media: Global production group producing scripted, entertainment, and factual content with operations across multiple markets. Comparable to UFA in production capabilities and B2B commission model with broadcasters and streamers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ufa_production
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UfaFiction
• Facebookfacebook.com/UFA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ufa-film-&-tv-produktions-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/ufa_production

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about UFA GmbH