What Sugar23 does

Sugar23 is a Los Angeles-based entertainment studio and management company founded in 2017 by Academy Award-winning producer Michael Sugar. The company originated as a premium content production house responsible for acclaimed projects including Spotlight, The Knick, The OA, Maniac, and 13 Reasons Why, and around 2022–2023 executed a strategic pivot to a brand-funded entertainment model. In this model, Sugar23 acts as intermediary between global brands and Hollywood creators, structuring partnerships in which brands invest as co-creators and equity-like stakeholders in film and TV content rather than purchasing traditional advertising. The company serves two primary customer segments: global brand marketers (Bose, Starbucks, Anheuser-Busch, P&G, Chick-fil-A, Ad Council, Time Studios, among 20+) seeking alternatives to declining traditional TV advertising, and streaming/distribution platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, linear networks) that acquire Sugar23-produced premium content.

Sugar23's product surface spans dedicated branded entertainment studios co-built with individual brands (Starbucks Studios, Bose Studios, draftLine Entertainment for AB InBev, Ad Council Entertainment), a joint venture studio with Fifth Season targeting over $100 million in co-financed production over three years, and The Way Upfronts — a quarterly marketplace platform that connects A-list talent with brand marketers representing approximately $120 billion in advertising spending. There is no proprietary technology stack; the offering is fundamentally creative services, talent management, and deal orchestration. The company operates from Los Angeles with additional offices in New York and Nashville.

The revenue model is professional services combined with managed services. Streams include production fees and back-end participation from traditional premium content development, brand partnership production (where brands invest in entertainment properties as owners), and joint-venture co-financing through the Fifth Season studio. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured project-by-project with enterprise clients. Distribution is achieved through direct sales to global streaming platforms and linear networks, with the Way Upfronts serving as the primary top-of-funnel demand-generation mechanism. The company is privately held by founder Michael Sugar with no disclosed institutional funding rounds, operating geographies spanning the United States with global content distribution reach.

Name

Sugar23

Legal name

Sugar23, Inc.

Website

https://sugar23.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sugar23 is a Los Angeles-based entertainment studio founded by Oscar-winning producer Michael Sugar that partners 20+ global brands with Hollywood talent to co-produce premium film, TV, and digital content as an alternative to traditional advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Partnership Production: Sugar23 partners with global brands to produce premium film and TV content. Brands invest in entertainment properties rather than purchasing traditional advertising, becoming early-stage partners with ownership in the entertainment proposition. The model creates a profit center for brands rather than pure expense.
2. Traditional Production: Sugar23 develops and produces original premium content for global distribution platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and linear television. The company earns production fees and participates in the success of content it creates.
3. Joint Venture with Fifth Season: Sugar23 and Fifth Season co-finance production with brand partners, targeting over $100 million in production over three years through the joint venture studio.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sugar23 is a next-generation entertainment studio that produces premium film and TV content for global streamers and networks while partnering consumer brands as early-stage co-creators and co-financiers rather than traditional advertisers. The studio also manages A-list talent and operates branded entertainment platforms such as Bose Studios, Starbucks Studios, draftLine Entertainment, Ad Council Entertainment, and a brand-focused JV with Fifth Season, supported by the Way Upfronts showcase event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bose Studios Music-centered branded entertainment platform spanning music, film, TV, digital, and live events; produces original content including documentary series and YouTube series and operates Bose Records, a discovery platform for emerging artists.
• Starbucks Studios Brand-owned production house producing original entertainment for Starbucks with the aim of deepening consumer connections; operated in partnership with Sugar23 to produce premium branded entertainment.
• Ad Council Entertainment Long-form storytelling joint venture producing socially relevant scripted films and TV programming aligned with the Ad Council's social impact mission, with Sugar23 providing access to network executives and studios and the Ad Council aligning sponsors.
• draftLine Entertainment (AB InBev) Branded entertainment division under AB InBev's internal ad agency draftLine that develops a slate of films, TV shows, and podcasts for sale to streaming companies and distributors.
• Sugar23 Brand Studios Dedicated branded entertainment division of Sugar23 that helps global brands co-produce premium film and TV content and serves as the brand's media company connecting them with filmmakers and talent.
• The Way Upfronts Showcase/pitching event format that connects A-list Hollywood talent with brand marketers and advertisers to secure early-stage co-production partnerships for premium entertainment projects.
• Sugar23 + Fifth Season Brand-Focused Studio (Joint Venture) Brand-focused TV and film joint venture between Sugar23 and Fifth Season that co-finances premium production with brand partners; combines Sugar23's brand-funded entertainment model with Fifth Season's global production footprint and library.
• Brand Partnership Production Services End-to-end premium film and TV production service in which global brands act as early-stage production partners with ownership stakes in entertainment projects rather than as advertisers; creates a profit center for brands and delivers content good enough for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, or linear television.
• Original Premium Content Production Original premium film and TV content development and production for global streamers and linear networks, leveraging A-list talent relationships and Michael Sugar's producer track record; earns production fees and participates in content success.

Quantifiable outcome

• Co-financing target of over $100 million in production with Fifth Season joint venture over 3 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BosecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Bose Studios is a music-centered branded entertainment platform spanning film, TV, digital, and live events. Sugar23 supports the platform with Academy Award-winning producer Michael Sugar. Initial projects include a documentary series with Steven Soderbergh examining creativity and artistic expression.
• Ad CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2025Ad Council Entertainment is a joint venture bringing the Ad Council's 80-year social impact mission into longform storytelling. Sugar23 serves as a conduit for projects using its relationships with network execs and studios, while Ad Council uses its deep roots with sponsors for funding alignment.
• Fifth SeasoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2024Joint venture creating a new brand-focused TV and film studio to co-finance over $100 million in production with brand partners over three years. Fifth Season brings global production reach including Severance (Apple TV+), Tokyo Vice (Max), and Scenes from a Marriage (HBO).
• StarbuckscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2024Starbucks Studios is Starbucks' production house producing original entertainment to deepen connections and spark conversations. Sugar23 serves as the brand's media company specializing in connecting brands with filmmakers and producing premium branded entertainment.
• Procter & Gamble (P&G)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2023P&G partnered with Sugar23 on The Turning Point documentary series co-produced with Trevor Noah and Time Studios. The show landed on MSNBC with no product placement or reference to P&G products, simply connecting with the corporation's value set.
• Anheuser-Busch (AB InBev)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2023AB InBev is building draftLine Entertainment, an entertainment division under its internal ad agency draftLine. Sugar23 develops a slate of films, TV shows, and podcasts for the beverage company to sell to streaming companies or distributors.
• Time StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Time Studios to transform the iconic Person of the Year feature into a weekly podcast format.
• Amazon Prime VideominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon is developing Godspeed, a NASCAR family drama series from Joe Pokaski and Scott Stuber's United Artists, with Sugar23 producing. Plans to shoot in early 2027 if greenlit.
• United Artists (Scott Stuber)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Artists, being relaunched by Scott Stuber in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios, is co-producing the NASCAR drama Godspeed with Sugar23.
• Chick-fil-AminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSugar23 has partnered with Chick-fil-A as one of the 20+ global brands working to transition from traditional advertising into co-producing premium film and television.
• McKinsey & CompanyminorOthersMcKinsey senior partner Marc Brodherson interviewed Michael Sugar on the evolving entertainment and advertising business landscape and the new approach to brand marketing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hello Sunshine: Reese Witherspoon's media company produces premium film/TV and book-to-screen adaptations with brand-friendly IP. Highly comparable to Sugar23 as a celebrity-founder-driven premium content shop that has also pursued brand-funded entertainment extensions.
• Propagate Content: Founded by Ben Silverman and Howard Owens, Propagate is one of the most explicit specialists in brand-funded and IP-driven premium entertainment. Closest direct peer to Sugar23's brand-partnership production thesis.
• Range Media Partners: Talent management and production studio that pairs a roster of A-list creators with premium content production. Operates the same management-plus-studio model as Sugar23, with overlapping talent competition.
• Anonymous Content: Premium film/TV production company behind Spotlight (co-produced with Sugar) and The Revenant. Long-standing collaborator and direct competitor for prestige limited series and film slates.
• Wiip: Independent studio developing and producing premium scripted and unscripted programming for global platforms. Competes head-to-head with Sugar23 for streaming commissions and brand-funded development.
• LuckyChap Entertainment: Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley's production banner behind Barbie and other premium titles. Comparable celebrity-driven production shop pursuing both streaming commissions and brand-aligned IP.
• A24: Independent entertainment company known for prestige film and prestige television with strong brand identity. Competes for the same limited-series, talent-driven premium commissions as Sugar23.
• Boat Rocker Media: Independent content creation company spanning scripted, unscripted, and branded entertainment. Directly comparable in operating model and in pursuing brand-funded production alongside premium commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Endeavor Content (now part of IMG): Larger parent of Fifth Season, Sugar23's JV partner. Endeavor/IMG's breadth across talent representation, content production, and brand partnerships makes it both a competitor and a strategic counterparty.

Emerging players

• Made with Intent: Boutique production and branded entertainment shop producing premium content for brands. Smaller and earlier-stage than Sugar23 but operating in the same brand-funded entertainment lane.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Sugar23