Shkulev Holding

What Shkulev Holding does

Shkulev Holding (Шкулёв Холдинг) is a privately held Russian diversified media holding operating a multi-platform portfolio of thematic media websites, regional city portals, premium magazines, social media channels, and adjacent digital services. Founded in the mid-1990s around Antenna magazine and re-branded from Shkulev Media Holding to Shkulev Holding in 2022, it claims 31 years of continuous Russian-market presence, 800+ employees, 49 regional offices, 123 million monthly visitors across digital properties, and 19 million social subscribers. The portfolio spans 60+ brands grouped into three pillars: thematic media (Woman.ru, StarHit, theGirl, Maximonline, Marie Claire, Marie Claire Maison, Vokrug Sveta, Psychologies, Doctor Piter, theDay, Parents, Antenna-Telesem), a city-portal network of 47 regional sites anchored by Fontanka.ru (Saint Petersburg), E1.ru (Yekaterinburg), NGS.ru (Novosibirsk), MSK1.ru (Moscow) and others, and premium magazines licensed through Hearst (Marie Claire, Psychologies, Maxim) and the historic 1861-founded Vokrug Sveta.

The business model is anchored in digital advertising (banners, sponsored content, special projects sold via a dedicated sales force) and magazine publishing (subscription/recurring via retail newsstand plus digital editions). Pricing is project-based: advertising units range from 29,100 RUB for a basic news article placement up to 138,600 RUB for a custom special project. Beyond core media, the holding operates film and series production through Long Tale Production, a digital art gallery (VS Gallery), a parenting content/service (Mamado), an online psychological consultation platform (Pogovorim.Online), a web-game developer platform (GamePush), an analytics service for the MAX social platform (MaxDash), a branded cafe chain (StarHit Cafe), and a technology division (Shkulev Tech). Customers split between consumer audiences across entertainment, lifestyle, parenting, regional news, and premium fashion verticals and enterprise advertisers across retail, automotive, telecom, pharma, and FMCG sectors — including named partners such as OZON, SELA, OSTIN, Jetour, Beeline, and Promomed.

Name

Shkulev Holding

Legal name

Shkulev Holding

Website

https://shkulevholding.ru

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Shkulev Holding is a leading privately held Russian media company operating 60+ brands across thematic websites, 47 regional city portals, premium Hearst-licensed magazines, social channels, and adjacent digital services, selling advertising and print subscriptions to consumer audiences and enterprise advertisers across Russia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

White-Label/Hosted Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creator Publishing & Membership Platforms (Writer-Centric) (MPACAIAD), Digital Content & Media Subscriptions (CRAFAIAA), Specialty & Niche Channel Distribution (Religious, Comic Shops, Specialty Retail) (MPAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Digital media publishing
• City news portals
• Magazine publishing
• Online advertising
• Media holding

Headquarters

HQ city

Moscow

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Advertising: Advertising revenue from website banner placements, sponsored content, and special projects across 50+ internet projects
2. Magazine Publishing: Print magazine sales and associated digital editions for publications including Marie Claire, Psychologies, Vokrug Sveta, and Antenna-Telesem
3. Special Projects: Custom advertising projects and branded content across all media platforms

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shkulev Holding is a privately held Russian media holding that publishes thematic digital media (Woman.ru, StarHit, theGirl, Maximonline, Marie Claire, Doctor Piter, Parents, theDay, etc.), operates the largest network of 47 city media portals across Russia, publishes premium print magazines (Marie Claire, Marie Claire Maison, Psychologies, Vokrug Sveta, Antenna-Telesem), and sells advertising inventory (display, sponsored content, special projects) to brands across these platforms. It also runs adjacent businesses including film and series production via Long Tale Production, digital art exhibitions via VS Gallery, online psychological consultations via Pogovorim.Online, web-game distribution via GamePush, and a StarHit Cafe chain.

Product overview

Shkulev Holding operates as a leading diversified media company in Russia with a portfolio of thematic media websites, the largest network of city portals, premium magazines, film production, and digital services. The thematic media division includes flagship brands such as Woman.ru, StarHit, theGirl, Maximonline, Marie Claire, Marie Claire Maison, Вокруг Света, Psychologies, Доктор Питер, theDay, and Parents. The city media network comprises 47 regional portals spanning major Russian cities including Moscow (MSK1.RU), Saint Petersburg (FONTANKA.RU), Yekaterinburg (E1.RU), Novosibirsk (NGS.RU), and many others. The magazine portfolio includes premium publications such as Marie Claire Maison (quarterly), Marie Claire, Psychologies, and Вокруг Света (published since 1861), plus the weekly TV guide Антенна-Телесемь. Non-media ventures include Long Tale Production (film/series production), VS Gallery (digital art gallery), StarHit Cafe (coffee shop chain), GamePush (web game developer platform), Поговорим.Онлайн (online psychological consultations), and MaxDash (analytics for MAX platform). The company reports 123 million monthly visitors, 49 regional offices, and 19 million social media subscribers across its properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Woman.ru: Encyclopedia of women's interests, thematic media portal
• StarHit
• theGirl
• Maximonline
• Marie Claire
• Marie Claire Maison
• Вокруг Света
• Psychologies
• Доктор Питер
• Parents
• Antenna-Telesemy
• Long Tale Production
• VS Gallery
• GamePush
• Поговорим.Онлайн

Products and services

• Woman.ru Women's encyclopedia portal covering fashion, beauty, lifestyle and personal development topics, acquired in 2016 as one of the leading women's portals in Russia.
• StarHit Entertainment news portal featuring celebrity news from Russian and global show business; magazine founded in 2007 with StarHit.ru launched in 2011.
• theGirl Media platform for girls of all ages with content on fashion, beauty, lifestyle and personal growth.
• Maximonline Men's lifestyle portal offering content on fashion, gadgets, entertainment and men's interests; Maximonline.ru launched in 2004 and MAXIM magazine launched in 2002.
• Marie Claire Russia Premium fashion and beauty magazine with editorial content on style, beauty, culture and modern women; magazine launched in 1997 under the Hearst international licensing partnership (since 2011) and reached a historical 594,800 readers per issue (Mediascope NRS 2026/2).
• Marie Claire Maison Russia Design and interior magazine covering décor, architecture and lifestyle trends in the premium segment, including website mcmaison.ru and a professional community of designers, architects and decorators.
• Vokrug Sveta (Вокруг Света) Magazine of the Russian Geographical Society published since 1861 covering travel, exploration and scientific discoveries; Vokrugsveta.ru launched in 2002 and the publishing house was purchased by Shkulev Holding in 2021.
• Psychologies Psychology and self-development magazine helping readers find themselves and live better; Psychologies.ru launched in 2006 and published under international licensing partnership with Hearst since 2011.
• Doctor Piter (Доктор Питер) Health and medical information platform ranked #1 most cited medical media in Russia for 5 consecutive years (Medialogia 2025, Index of Citability 214.21).
• Parents Parent-focused media platform providing expert content on child-rearing and family topics; Parents.ru launched in 2008.
• theDay News and editorial platform covering current events and cultural topics.
• Antenna-Telesem (Антенна-Телесемь) Weekly TV guide magazine and most popular television guide in Russia with 6.8 million readers and 1.3 million monthly print circulation; first issue of Antenna published in 1994 as the founding publication of the holding.
• City Media Portal Network (47 regional portals) Largest network of city media portals in Russia with 47 regional projects covering major Russian cities, including MSK1.RU (Moscow), FONTANKA.RU (Saint Petersburg), E1.RU (Yekaterinburg), NGS.RU (Novosibirsk), NGS24.RU (Krasnoyarsk), 72.RU (Tyumen), 76.RU (Yaroslavl), V1.RU (Volgograd), 161.RU (Rostov-on-Don), 63.RU (Samara), NN.RU (Nizhny Novgorod), 59.RU (Perm), NGS22.RU (Barnaul), CHITA.RU (Chita) and others; network launched in 2012 with acquisitions of NGS.ru, NN.ru and e1.ru in 2013, prm.ru in 2012 and Fontanka.ru in 2019.
• Long Tale Production Film and series production company producing TV dramas, detective series and other content for Shkulev Holding media platforms, including the detective melodrama series 'When the Fire Burns' (premiered May 2026 on Russia TV channel) and the digital-literacy short series 'Adopt a Hacker' (April 2026).
• VS Gallery Digital and figital (physical-digital) art gallery showcasing contemporary Russian and international media artists through exhibition projects.
• Pogovorim.Online (Поговорим.Онлайн) Online platform providing access to professional psychologists for psychological consultations.
• GamePush Platform for web game developers providing tools and services for game distribution and monetization.
• StarHit Cafe Chain of coffee shops branded under the StarHit media property.
• Mamado Parenting service providing content and resources for parents.
• MaxDash Analytics service for channels on the MAX platform providing performance metrics and insights.
• Shkulev Tech Technology division of Shkulev Holding focused on technology innovation and development across the holding's platforms.
• Student Accelerator Student accelerator program supporting talented students in building media and digital projects through mentorship, consulting, legal, administrative, technical and financial support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Doctor Piter ranked as #1 most cited medical media in Russia for 5 consecutive years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• celimaxminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Korean skincare brand as general partner of Marie Claire Blogger Party 2026
• NARSminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Premium professional makeup brand as beauty partner of Marie Claire Blogger Party 2026
• CalzedoniaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Italian beachwear brand as fashion partner of Marie Claire Blogger Party 2026
• RoscosmoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Collaboration on 165th anniversary of Vokrug Sveta magazine featuring exclusive space photography from Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station, showcasing Russia from 400km above Earth
• BeelinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Joint social initiative 'Gaining Altitude' to help LizaAlert search and rescue team raise 150 million rubles for rescue drones. Widgets added to news articles linking to donation page
• LizaAlertcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Search and rescue volunteer organization benefiting from joint fundraising campaign with Beeline and Shkulev Holding
• Internet Development Institute (IRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Support for cybersecurity awareness short-series project 'Adopt a Hacker' implementing digital literacy education
• Vokrug Sveta Publishing HousecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2021Acquisition of Vokrug Sveta publishing house in 2021, one of Russia's oldest magazines (established 1861)
• HearstcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2011Partnership for international magazine editions including Marie Claire, Psychologies, and Maxim in Russia since 2011

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mondadori Group: Italian publishing company with books, magazines, and digital media assets, including licensed international brands. Provides a comparable benchmark for monetizing legacy print titles alongside digital extensions in a single-country core market.
• Hearst: Global media conglomerate and Shkulev's licensing partner for Marie Claire, Psychologies, and Maxim since 2011. Operates a comparable multi-brand magazine and digital media model, providing the closest international benchmark for portfolio economics and licensed-title performance.
• Condé Nast: Global premium magazine publisher (Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Wired) with comparable premium-content licensing and digital-extension strategy. Highly relevant for benchmarking how Shkulev can extend its Marie Claire and Psychologies brands into adjacent verticals such as Marie Claire Maison.
• Hubert Burda Media: German family-controlled media holding combining licensed international magazines, owned digital brands, and regional publishing assets. Closely comparable ownership structure and multi-platform print-plus-digital model make it a strong strategic benchmark for Shkulev's European/Russian media holding structure.
• Bauer Media Group: Privately held European media company with a large portfolio of magazines, digital properties, and audio businesses. Comparable in scale of brands and audience reach, and in its reliance on licensed and proprietary content for both print and digital monetization.
• Lagardère Group: French media group with magazine publishing (Elle, Paris Match, Le Journal du Dimanche) and travel retail. Comparable magazine licensing and multi-brand editorial model, with relevant benchmarking on premium-content monetization across markets.
• Independent Media (Russia): Direct Russian competitor with a comparable portfolio of licensed international magazines (Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, GQ) and digital editions. Operates a similar model of hosting premium foreign brands for the Russian market, making it the closest head-to-head peer for Shkulev's magazine and digital business.

Regional players

• Kommersant Publishing House: Major Russian news and publishing house with comparable national footprint and digital presence. Operates as a domestic Russian peer for benchmarking audience monetization and competitive dynamics in the Russian media market.

Broad incumbents

• Axel Springer: Large European media incumbent operating a much broader portfolio spanning news (Bild, Welt), classifieds, and digital media. Operates a comparable print-to-digital transformation playbook but at significantly larger scale, making it a benchmark for potential exit or strategic-partner scenarios for Shkulev.

Emerging players

• Future plc: UK-based digital publishing specialist that has built scale through acquisitions of content brands and aggressive digital monetization. Relevant as a model for how Shkulev could pivot its legacy print-heavy portfolio toward digital-first revenue mix over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2451801

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A5 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Shkulev Holding