Triggerfish Animation Studios
Triggerfish Animation Studios is Africa's largest CG animation studio, providing end-to-end production services for feature films, TV series and shorts to global clients including Disney, Netflix, BBC and Lucasfilm, while co-producing original kids and family content since 1996.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Triggerfish Animation Studios does
Triggerfish Animation Studios is Africa's largest animation studio and a global provider of premium CG animation production services. Founded in 1996 in Cape Town, the company offers end-to-end animation production for TV specials, feature films, series, games and shorts, collaborating with partners from script to screen. Its portfolio spans award-winning feature films (Seal Team, Khumba, Adventures in Zambezia, Stick Man, Snail and the Whale), TV specials (Zog, The Highway Rat, Revolting Rhymes), series (Supa Team 4, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes) and shorts (Aau's Song for Star Wars: Visions 2, Moosebox for Nickelodeon, Troll Girl).
The studio's technology stack centres on CG animation for character-driven storytelling, with internal production pipelines supporting work from concept through delivery. It operates from a Cape Town farm-based headquarters and a European studio in Galway, Ireland, with a remote-first workforce across South Africa, Ireland, and the UK. Adjacent initiatives include Triggerfish Academy (free masterclasses), Triggerfish Foundation (non-profit talent development in partnership with GIZ, Disney, Netflix, AFS and Goethe Institut) and Balisti Studios (related entity serving AAA and mobile games). The studio's quality is recognised by an Academy Award nomination (Revolting Rhymes), BAFTA wins, International Emmy wins, Annie Awards, Annecy and Rose d'Or accolades.
Triggerfish operates a B2B professional services model, providing production services to global broadcasters, studios and independent producers such as Disney, BBC, Netflix, Lucasfilm, Magic Light Pictures, Hasbro, eOne, Ubisoft, Cake, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers Animation, Sesame Workshop and Sony Pictures Animation. A second revenue stream comes from original co-productions and IP ownership, with content licensed to platforms including Disney+ and Netflix, generating licensing and royalty income. The studio is privately held, founder-led by co-founders James Middleton and Stuart Forrest (CEO), with Jean-Michel Koenig as CFO and Mike Buckland as Head of Production. There are no disclosed external funding rounds, suggesting the company is funded through reinvested earnings and client payments.
Triggerfish Animation Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Triggerfish Animation Studios
- Legal name
- Triggerfish Animation Studios
- Website
- https://triggerfish.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Triggerfish Animation Studios is Africa's largest CG animation studio, providing end-to-end production services for feature films, TV series and shorts to global clients including Disney, Netflix, BBC and Lucasfilm, while co-producing original kids and family content since 1996.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Triggerfish Animation Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animation Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH), Kids & Preschool Animation Production (MPADACAJ), Character & Creature Animation (MPADACAE)
Keywords
Where Triggerfish Animation Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Triggerfish Animation Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Animation Production Services: Provides premium end-to-end animation production services for TV specials, series, and feature films for global broadcasters, studios, and independent producers.
- Original Content Co-Productions: Develops and co-produces original kids and family content with international partners, retaining ownership stakes in intellectual property.
- Content Licensing and Broadcasting Rights: Licenses animated content to global streaming platforms and broadcasters such as Disney+, Netflix, BBC.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Triggerfish Animation Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Triggerfish Animation Studios provides premium end-to-end CG animation production services for TV specials, series, feature films, games, and shorts to global broadcasters, studios, and independent producers. The studio also develops and co-produces original kids and family animated content with international partners, retaining ownership stakes in intellectual property. Its work spans script-to-screen collaboration on projects for clients such as Disney, BBC, Netflix, Lucasfilm, Magic Light Pictures, Hasbro, eOne, Ubisoft, Cake, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers Animation, Sesame Workshop, and Sony Pictures Animation.
Product overview
Triggerfish Animation Studios is an animation production studio offering end-to-end CG animation services for film, TV series, and shorts, along with original content production. The portfolio includes award-winning feature films (Seal Team, Khumba, Zambezia, Stick Man, Snail and the Whale), animated TV specials (Zog, The Highway Rat, Revolting Rhymes), series (Supa Team 4, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire), and shorts (Aau's Song from Star Wars: Visions 2). The studio also develops original content including Rosy Days, Tonko, No.1!, Troll Girl, and Pearl of the Sea graphic novel. Supporting initiatives include Triggerfish Academy (free animation training), Triggerfish Foundation (talent development non-profit), and Balisti Studios (game art and animation services). Services span Disney+, Netflix, BBC, Nickelodeon and other major broadcasters and studios.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Oscar nomination, BAFTA wins, Emmy wins, and Annie Awards
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Triggerfish Animation Studios
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Triggerfish Animation Studios technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Triggerfish Animation Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.
- FrogboxcoreCo-producer of Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes animated series, along with Triggerfish and eOne. The series was announced in 2021 with Disney Junior and Disney+ acquiring broadcasting and streaming rights.
- Disney (Disney Junior and Disney+)flagshipAcquired global broadcasting and streaming rights for Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes series, expected to launch globally in 2023. Also distribution partner for Star Wars: Visions 2 anthology (Aau's Song) and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire.
- NetflixflagshipStreaming platform partner for multiple productions including Seal Team, Supa Team 4, and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire. Netflix is a key distribution partner for global content release.
- Magic Light PicturescoreRecurring production partner for multiple award-winning projects including Stick Man, Revolting Rhymes, The Highway Rat, and Zog. Long-standing collaborative relationship.
- eOne (Entertainment One)coreCo-producer of Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes animated series. Partner on multiple kids and family content projects.
- LucasfilmflagshipProduction partner for Star Wars: Visions 2 anthology, featuring Triggerfish's animated short 'Aau's Song' on Disney+.
- GIZcoreFoundation partner working with Triggerfish Foundation to equip and upskill emerging talent on the African continent. Partner in Story Lab initiative that supported African writers with over 1,350 applicants from 30 countries.
- AFScoreFoundation partner collaborating with Triggerfish Foundation to support cultural exchange and talent development in African animation.
- Goethe InstitutcoreFoundation partner working with Triggerfish Foundation on pan-African initiatives to stimulate the animation industry and build networks across the continent.
- Disney (Foundation)flagshipFoundation partner for Story Lab initiative supporting African writers. Over 1,350 applicants from 30 African countries participated in the program.
- Toon BoomsupportingAnimation software partner providing industry-standard animation tools used in production pipeline. Listed as a sponsor/supporter of Triggerfish Foundation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Triggerfish Animation Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WildBrain: Canadian kids and family entertainment company owning the Peanuts brand and producing/distributing children's animation globally. Comparable as a vertically integrated kids' animation and content licensing business with global distribution — though substantially larger and public.
- 9 Story Media Group: Toronto-headquartered content creator and animation studio producing kids' series for global streamers and broadcasters. Comparable premium kids/family animation production services with similar client roster (Disney, Netflix), but at meaningfully larger scale.
- Illumination: Universal's animation studio producing globally successful family animated features (Despicable Me, Minions, Sing). Comparable as a feature-focused, family-targeted animation studio, though vastly larger and part of a major studio system.
- DNEG: Global visual effects and animation services provider (Double Negative) serving Hollywood studios on feature films and episodic content. Comparable as a premium, internationally distributed creative services partner for the world's largest studios.
Direct peers
- Laika: Oregon-based stop-motion and hybrid animation feature film studio owned by Phil Knight. Comparable as a privately-held, founder-backed premium animation studio focused on original feature films with theatrical ambition, although a different production technique.
- Brown Bag Films: Dublin-based kids and family animation studio with end-to-end production services for global streamers (Disney, Netflix, Amazon). Closely comparable operating model: outsourced premium CG animation services for major IP owners, plus owned originals, with a similar headcount scale.
- Cartoon Saloon: Ireland-based animation studio producing award-nominated feature films and shorts (Wolfwalkers, The Secret of Kells). Comparable as a similarly-sized, internationally-credentialed indie studio with deep roots in a single regional creative community and recurring global distribution partnerships.
- Aardman Animations: Bristol-based, award-winning stop-motion and CG animation studio producing premium feature films, TV specials, and series for global broadcasters. Highly comparable as a privately-held, founder-driven premium animation house with a similar services-plus-IP model and Oscar/BAFTA pedigree.
- Mikros Animation: Global animation studio (Paris, Montreal, London, Bangalore) producing feature films, series, and games animation for top-tier studios. Comparable as a services-focused CG animation partner delivering premium work for Hasbro, Paramount, and others, with similar end-to-end pipeline.
- Guru Studio: Toronto-based animation studio producing original kids' series (Paw Patrol, True and the Rainbow Kingdom) and providing production services. Comparable as a mid-sized, internationally-recognized kids animation house with both owned IP and services revenue.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Triggerfish Animation Studios social profiles
Digital presenceTriggerfish Animation Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Triggerfish Animation Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Triggerfish Animation Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Triggerfish Animation Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Triggerfish Animation Studios
What does Triggerfish Animation Studios do?
Triggerfish Animation Studios provides premium end-to-end CG animation production services for TV specials, series, feature films, games, and shorts to global broadcasters, studios, and independent producers. The studio also develops and co-produces original kids and family animated content with international partners, retaining ownership stakes in intellectual property. Its work spans script-to-screen collaboration on projects for clients such as Disney, BBC, Netflix, Lucasfilm, Magic Light Pictures, Hasbro, eOne, Ubisoft, Cake, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers Animation, Sesame Workshop, and Sony Pictures Animation.
Is Triggerfish Animation Studios a public or private company?
Triggerfish Animation Studios is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Triggerfish Animation Studios founded?
Triggerfish Animation Studios was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Triggerfish Animation Studios based?
Triggerfish Animation Studios is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Triggerfish Animation Studios make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Animation Production Services are the primary driver. The others are original Content Co-Productions and content Licensing and Broadcasting Rights.
Who are Triggerfish Animation Studios's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WildBrain, 9 Story Media Group, Illumination and DNEG. Direct peers are Laika, Brown Bag Films, Cartoon Saloon, Aardman Animations, Mikros Animation and Guru Studio.
Does Triggerfish Animation Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Triggerfish Animation Studios.
What industry is Triggerfish Animation Studios in?
Triggerfish Animation Studios's product category is Animation Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADACAG, Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming), with a secondary code of MPADACAH, Animated Feature Film Production. Its NAICS code is 5121 and its SIC code is 7812.