What Kurzgesagt does

Kurzgesagt is a Munich-based science edutainment company that produces animated educational videos and adjacent products for a global general-audience market. Founded in 2013 by Philipp Dettmer, the company operates a primary YouTube channel with more than 20 million subscribers and roughly 2 billion cumulative views, distributed across nine localized language channels plus TikTok and reaching approximately 25 million people worldwide. The visual identity is built on a distinctive style combining 2D flat animation, 3D elements, vector illustration, and motion graphics in After Effects, paired with custom-composed soundtracks from Epic Mountain Music and the consistent signature narration of Steve Taylor. Video content is produced with a research-backed pipeline that draws on in-house subject-matter writers including domain experts such as astrophysicists and microbiologists, and each video is published with a transparent sourcesheet citing the underlying scientific literature.

The product portfolio has expanded well beyond the YouTube channel. It now includes a direct-to-consumer merchandise business (infographic posters, journals, science-inspired accessories, plushies) distributed via shop-us.kurzgesagt.org, the Human Era Calendar annual release, and an emerging line of interactive digital products: the Star Birds video game on Steam, the Universe in a Nutshell mobile app, the Out of Scale VR experience, and the Scale App. Monetization spans five streams: YouTube advertising, Patreon recurring revenue from over 10,000 supporters called birbs, sponsored videos underwritten by foundations, NGOs, and brands, direct-to-consumer merchandise sales, and licensing of interactive products. Notable institutional partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (a 2025 grant), Open Philanthropy, the Templeton Foundation, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the EU-funded TRESCA project, the United Nations Environment programme, the National Academy of Science, and Erasmus University Rotterdam.

The company is incorporated as In a nutshell – kurzgesagt GmbH, a privately held German limited liability company headquartered in Munich with a second office in Berlin. Leadership comprises founder and head writer Philipp Dettmer, CEO Peter Berger, and CCO Philip Laibacher, with a stated headcount of approximately 70 employees operating across offices plus remote. Ownership remains founder-controlled with no external equity investors identified in the available data — the business is bootstrapped, supplemented by philanthropic grants such as the 2025 Gates Foundation award — and the company is GDPR-compliant with an appointed Data Protection Officer.

Name

Kurzgesagt

Legal name

In a nutshell – kurzgesagt GmbH

Website

https://kurzgesagt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kurzgesagt is a Munich-based science edutainment company producing animated YouTube videos on science topics, reaching 25 million people across nine languages. It monetizes via YouTube ads, Patreon, sponsorships, merchandise, and interactive products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Media & Digital Content

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)

akta.pro primary industry

Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive) (EDAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

3D Product/Explainer Animation (MPAHACAD)

Keywords

• Science animation
• Educational content
• Edutainment videos
• Digital media production
• Science communication

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. YouTube Ad Revenue: Revenue from YouTube advertising on the main channel with 20M+ subscribers and 2B+ views
2. Patreon Crowdfunding: Monthly recurring revenue from Patreon supporters (birbs) who fund video production
3. Merchandise & Products: Sale of infographic posters, journals, science-inspired accessories, and plushies through the official shop
4. Sponsored Videos: Brands and organizations sponsor video production costs to communicate scientific findings or raise awareness for topics
5. Interactive Products: Revenue from video games (e.g., Star Birds on Steam) and interactive apps like 'Universe in a Nutshell' and VR experience 'Out of Scale'

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kurzgesagt produces highly produced animated science education videos using vibrant vector illustrations and motion graphics, covering topics in space, technology, biology, and society. The company also sells science-inspired merchandise (posters, journals, plushies, accessories) through its own e-commerce shop and develops interactive digital products including video games (Star Birds), VR experiences (Out of Scale), and mobile apps (Universe in a Nutshell, Scale App).

Product overview

Kurzgesagt is a science edutainment brand offering a multi-platform content portfolio. Its core products include elaborately animated YouTube videos explaining scientific topics with distinctive vector illustration and animation style. The company also produces physical science products including infographic posters, journals, and plushies sold through its e-commerce shop. Additionally, Kurzgesagt has expanded into interactive products including video games (Star Birds on Steam), VR experiences (Out of Scale: A Kurzgesagt Adventure), and mobile apps (Universe in a Nutshell and Scale App). The YouTube channel serves as the primary distribution platform with over 25 million subscribers across multiple languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kurzgesagt YouTube Videos Elaborate animated videos explaining complex scientific topics in an approachable way using vibrant vector illustrations and animation. Content covers space, technology, biology, and society.
• Kurzgesagt Shop Merchandise (Posters, Journals, Accessories, Plushies) Infographic posters, journals, plushies, and science-inspired accessories created with attention to scientific accuracy and design quality.
• Star Birds

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 million subscribers on main YouTube channel
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• EU (TRESCA Research Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with TRESCA research project funded by the EU for the 'Behind the Lies' video about misinformation.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'Nuke a City' information video that hopes to be unnecessary forever, explaining what happens when a nuclear weapon hits a city.
• UN EnvironmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization partnered for content related to environmental topics.
• National Academy of ScienceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific organization partnered for content accuracy and scientific consultation.
• Erasmus University RotterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution partnered for scientific collaboration and research support.
• Epic Mountain MusiccoreTechnology or IntegrationMusic studio composes custom soundtracks for each Kurzgesagt video, providing unique mood and emotional impact.
• Steve TaylorcoreOthersVoice actor and journalist who is the signature voice of Kurzgesagt, narrating every video with a tone that blends rationality and optimism.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• TED-Ed: TED's educational animation initiative producing animated lessons on scientific and conceptual topics. Directly comparable as a high-production-value educational animation brand targeting general curious audiences with short-form explainer content.
• 3Blue1Brown: Grant Sanderson's math and science YouTube channel distinguished by custom-coded animations and rigorous mathematical visualization. Closely comparable in combining a distinctive proprietary animation style with deep subject-matter rigor and an independent creator-led model.
• Veritasium: Derek Muller's science education YouTube channel reaching 15M+ subscribers with rigorously researched physics and science content. Comparable in audience demographics, science-niche focus, and independent creator-driven production model.
• CrashCourse: Educational YouTube series (Hank and John Green) producing structured courses across many subjects with animated explainers. Comparable in producing animated educational content for general audiences, with similar monetization via YouTube, Patreon, and merchandise.
• Vsauce: Michael Stevens' educational YouTube channel exploring scientific and philosophical topics with high production value. Comparable as an independent science edutainment creator with similar audience profile and explainer-style content approach.
• CGP Grey: Independent educational YouTube channel using distinctive illustration and animation to explain complex topics (geopolitics, economics, history). Comparable in independent creator model, distinctive visual style, and explainer-format content for curious adult audiences.
• Mark Rober: Former NASA engineer producing high-production-value science YouTube content with engineering and experimentation focus. Comparable in audience scale (35M+ subscribers), independent production, and adjacent science edutainment positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Vox: Large digital media company producing explanatory journalism videos including 'Vox Borders' and science explainers. Comparable in producing animated educational explainers for general audiences, but at much larger corporate scale with broader topic coverage.
• National Geographic: Established science media brand producing documentaries, videos, and educational content. Comparable in science communication mandate, but operates at much larger corporate scale with traditional media distribution channels.

Emerging players

• Khan Academy: Non-profit educational platform offering structured video lessons across STEM subjects. Comparable in educational video content mission and Patreon/philanthropy funding model, though focused on structured K-12 curriculum rather than standalone explainers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kurzgesagt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/in-a-nutshell-kurzgesagt-gmbh
• Xx.com/Kurz_Gesagt
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kurzgesagt

Compliance1 record

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

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kurzgesagt