CARTOON

What CARTOON does

CARTOON is an international non-profit association (aisbl) established in 1990 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Its mission is to support the European animation industry by organizing a portfolio of recurring co-production, pitching, training, and networking events that connect animation producers, broadcasters, distributors, and investors. The organization operates five flagship event brands: Cartoon Forum (annual pitching forum for animated TV series, held in Toulouse in September, with ~1,000 attendees and 256 buyers in 2024), Cartoon Movie (biennial-style forum for animated feature films in Bordeaux, with 826 professionals and 260 buyers in 2026), CartoonNext (annual event on future-of-animation and digital/transmedia content in Marseille), Cartoon Springboard (pitching event for young talent from animation schools in Madrid), and Cartoon Business (annual conference on growth models for the animation industry in Brussels). A complementary product set includes Cartoon Masters training programs, the My Cartoon member portal for registrations and project submissions, and a 2026 partnership-driven expansion via EFM Animation Days at the Berlinale.

By documented track record, Cartoon Forum alone has helped 1,002 animation series obtain €3.7 billion in financing since 1990. CARTOON's revenue model is non-commercial: it is co-funded by the European Union's Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, supported by sponsorship from Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, and supplemented by accreditation fees, sponsorships, and partnership contributions from industry allies such as Pocket Gamer Connects, Toscana Film Commission, mediarte, BCOH, and Ecoprod. There is no proprietary technology platform; the "product" is the event ecosystem itself, calendared across multiple European cities and supplemented by a member portal. CARTOON holds ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event management, and Annick Maes serves as General Director. The organization operates with 11-50 employees.

Name

CARTOON

Legal name

CARTOON

Website

https://cartoon-media.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CARTOON is a Brussels-based international non-profit association, founded in 1990, that supports the European animation industry by organizing co-production, pitching, and training events such as Cartoon Forum, Cartoon Movie, CartoonNext, Cartoon Springboard, and Cartoon Business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Industry Events and Trade Services

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG), Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH)

Keywords

• Animation industry events
• Co-production forums
• Animation pitch sessions
• Animation training programs
• Industry networking conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CARTOON organizes annual co-production, pitching, networking, and training events for the European animation industry. Its flagship offerings include Cartoon Forum (animated TV series pitching, Toulouse), Cartoon Movie (feature film pitching, Bordeaux), CartoonNext (digital/transmedia content, Marseille), Cartoon Springboard (emerging talent pitching, Madrid), Cartoon Business (industry growth models, Brussels), and Cartoon Masters training programs. The organization is funded by Creative Europe MEDIA Programme and is recognized as the leading European animation industry event platform.

Product overview

CARTOON is a platform of event-based products for the European animation industry, consisting of six distinct but complementary offerings. Cartoon Forum serves as the flagship co-production event for TV series, while Cartoon Movie focuses on feature film projects. Cartoon Next addresses emerging trends and future technologies in animation. Cartoon Masters provides professional training, and Cartoon Springboard supports emerging talent from animation schools. Cartoon Business focuses on industry growth models and economics. A member portal (My Cartoon) ties the ecosystem together, enabling profile management, event registrations, and project submissions. The organization functions as an international non-profit association based in Brussels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cartoon Forum: Co-production forum for animated TV series projects
• Cartoon Movie
• CartoonNext
• Cartoon Springboard
• Cartoon Business

Products and services

• Cartoon Forum A co-production and pitching event for animated TV series and TV specials, bringing together producers, broadcasters, and investors from across Europe to help animation series obtain financing through pitching sessions. The flagship CARTOON event attracts approximately 1,000 animation professionals annually.
• Cartoon Movie

Quantifiable outcome

• 81% of CartoonNext 2026 respondents found the event 'excellent' (49%) or 'very good' (32%)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Toscana Film CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Partnership to support emerging animation talent through Cartoon Springboard 2026. TFC and Cartoon Springboard join forces to empower next generation of creators, bridging Italian talent with international market through intensive training and mentorship. TFC will cover accreditation, travel, and accommodation costs for talents from Kids & Teens programme.
• mediartecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Belgian Social Fund for audiovisual, digital and film industries joining Cartoon Business 2026 as Industry Partner. mediarte supports professionals and companies through training, employability, well-being, and inclusion initiatives. Will cover 50% of accreditation fee for members attending Cartoon Business 2026.
• Pocket Gamer Connects (Steel Media Ltd)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Partnership to strengthen links between animation and games industries, facilitating new collaborations between animation creators, game developers, producers, and digital content innovators. Participants attending CartoonNext and/or Cartoon Forum will receive exclusive 20% discount on Pocket Gamer Connects events in 2026.
• European Film Market (EFM)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2026Partnership for first edition of EFM Animation Days (12-14 February 2026) during 76th Berlinale. Initiative strengthens European animation sector's presence within international marketplace, spotlighting commercially viable projects, business models, and production technologies. CARTOON offers special €250 + VAT rate for first 20 applicants.
• Keep FestiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative aimed at creating safer environments at festivals and events. Partnership since June 2025 to ensure everyone can participate freely and safely, without facing harassment or discrimination.
• Bologna Children's Book FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for one-to-one meetings between publishers and animation producers. First collaboration at Cartoon Forum 2024 with 136 delegates from 11 countries and approximately 250 meetings scheduled. Initiative responds to growing relationship between animation and publishing industries.
• BCOHminorOthersInsurance partner offering services for the film industry and events sector. CARTOON launches new collaboration including BCOH for insurance solutions.
• EcoprodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading initiative on sustainable film production in France, promoting and highlighting films and crews working towards reducing environmental footprint. Collaborated with CARTOON during Cartoon Movie 2026 to present Green Animation Guide.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Annecy International Animation Film Festival: The leading global animation festival and its associated MIFA content market. Most directly comparable to CARTOON as a major European animation industry event organizer serving producers, buyers, broadcasters, and distributors.
• Kidscreen Summit: Premier global event for children's content industry covering animation, live-action, and digital. Comparable as a B2B pitching and co-production forum serving kids/family content creators, buyers, and platform executives.
• FMX (Film & Media Exchange): European conference on animation, VFX, and digital media production held in Stuttgart. Comparable as an industry platform connecting creators, technology providers, and financiers in animation and VFX, though with stronger technical focus.
• SIGGRAPH: Global conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques. Comparable as a large-scale annual industry event for animation, VFX, and digital content professionals, though broader in technical scope than CARTOON.
• Series Mania Forum: Major European forum for international TV series industry covering co-production, financing, and distribution. Comparable to Cartoon Forum in structure but spanning all genres rather than animation-only.
• Sunny Side of the Doc: International documentary industry market held annually in La Rochelle, France. Comparable as a European B2B pitching/co-financing event for a specific content vertical with similar scale and target audience profile.

Broad incumbents

• MIPCOM / MIP Junior (RX France): Largest global content market for entertainment and children's programming held in Cannes. Comparable as a B2B event for content sales, co-production, and distribution, though broader in scope and commercially driven rather than animation-specialist.
• European Film Market (EFM / Berlinale): Major film industry market held during the Berlin International Film Festival. CARTOON already partners with EFM for EFM Animation Days. Comparable as a European B2B content marketplace, though broader and older than CARTOON's animation-specific events.

Regional players

• Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF): Leading Asian content market for TV and digital content held in Singapore. Comparable as a co-production and content sales event but serving the Asian market rather than Europe.

Others

• Cartoon d'Or: European animated short film award organized by CARTOON itself. Related rather than competitive; illustrates CARTOON's broader role in celebrating and supporting European animation beyond business events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/cartoonmedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/CARTOON.eu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cartoon-aisbl
• Instagraminstagram.com/cartoon_media.eu
• Xx.com/CARTOON_media

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 CARTOON