Piranha Bar
Piranha Bar is an independently owned Dublin-based creative studio delivering animation, VFX, motion design, broadcast post-production, and original IP for global brands, broadcasters, agencies, and government clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Piranha Bar does
Piranha Bar is an independently owned, artist-led creative studio headquartered in a Georgian townhouse at 37 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin. Founded circa 2002, the company operates four interconnected business divisions: Studio (animation, motion design, VFX), Directors (representation of a roster of world-class commercial film and animation directors), Broadcast (a 16-suite post-production facility serving Irish and international broadcasters), and Originals (proprietary IP development). The company delivers services and content to global brands, broadcasters, agencies, and government clients across advertising campaigns, broadcast post-production, branded entertainment, and original animated properties.
The studio's technology stack includes a proprietary AniMotion performance and emotion capture pipeline integrated with Unreal Engine for real-time rendering, alongside bespoke techniques such as an oil-painting-to-software workflow used on the documentary 'Last Hijack' and a proprietary painterly texturing system. The studio produces 2D, 3D, character animation, motion design, creature and character VFX, and live action across commercials, series, and feature-length content. Notable original properties include Mya Go (156-episode pre-school series), Team Jay by Juventus (with Eclipse Productions), Way of the Bey (for Takara Tomy), and in-development adult series Doom Newt, IRL, and The Electric Wizard. Co-production of the feature film 'Kim' with India's Cosmos-Maya marks entry into theatrical animation.
The business model is primarily project-based professional services fees for animation, VFX, motion design, and broadcast post-production, with secondary revenue from original IP licensing and royalties. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales to brands, channel relationships through a deep network of creative agencies (Publicis Dublin, BBDO, Leo Burnett, TBWA, Rothco, Digitas London, and others), and strategic co-production partnerships. The client base spans 40+ named enterprise and government logos including Vhi Healthcare (nearly 20-year relationship), Kellogg's, Juventus FC, Three Mobile, Heineken, Lidl, Tesco, Virgin Media, Netflix, HBO, John Lewis, Adidas, Citroën, McDonald's, and numerous Irish government departments.
Piranha Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Piranha Bar
- Legal name
- Piranha Bar
- Website
- https://piranhabar.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Piranha Bar is an independently owned Dublin-based creative studio delivering animation, VFX, motion design, broadcast post-production, and original IP for global brands, broadcasters, agencies, and government clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Piranha Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Piranha Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Creative Production Services: Project-based fees for animation, VFX, motion design, and broadcast post-production services. Works with agencies and directly with brands on campaigns.
- Original IP Development: Develops original content and intellectual property including animated series (Mya Go, Team Jay, Way of the Bey, Doom Newt) and co-produces feature films (Kim)
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Piranha Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Piranha Bar is an independently owned, artist-led creative studio that delivers animation, VFX, motion design, and full-service broadcast post-production for brands, agencies, broadcasters, and government clients. The studio also develops and co-produces original IP, including animated series and feature films, working with international production partners. Operations are run from a Dublin headquarters featuring 16 broadcast suites and proprietary pipelines such as AniMotion and Unreal Engine real-time rendering.
Product overview
Piranha Bar is an independently owned, artist-led creative studio offering a comprehensive suite of production services organized into four main divisions: Studio (animation, motion design, VFX), Directors (representing commercial film and animation talent), VFX (creature & character visual effects), Broadcast (16 editing suites for global formats and documentaries), and Originals (developing proprietary IP). Their services span 2D and 3D animation, character animation, motion design, live action production, and advanced techniques including AniMotion (motion capture pipeline) operating within Unreal Engine. Notable original content includes Way of the Bey for Takara Tomy, Team Jay for Juventus FC, Mya Go pre-school series, and in-development adult series Doom Newt, IRL, and The Electric Wizard. The studio also co-produced the feature film Kim with Cosmos-Maya.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- VFX Services Visual effects production including creature and character animation, seamless compositing, and story-led VFX work drawing on two decades of experience, delivered for brands, agencies, broadcasters, and entertainment clients.
- Broadcast Post-Production Full-service broadcast facility offering offline, online, and sound editing across global broadcast formats and documentaries, serving clients including RTÉ, Virgin Media, BBC, Amazon Prime, and TG4.
- Motion Design Motion design services creating visual content with movement, animation, and graphic elements across commercials, series, and branded content for global brands and agencies.
- Animation Production Animation production including 2D, 3D, character animation, and AniMotion (motion capture-based animation) for commercials, series, and branded content for global brands and entertainment partners.
- Live Action Production Live action production services for commercials, music videos, short films, and documentaries, including music videos for artists such as Fontaines D.C. and Sparks.
- Director Representation Representation of a diverse roster of world-class commercial film and animation directors including Eoin Glaister, Hugh Mulhern, Tara O'Callaghan, Rick Thiele, Veronika Jelšíková, Future Power Station, Abigail Wilson, Gavin Kelly, Joseph Wallace, Ross Killeen, Andy Baker Studio, Richard Chaney, Feral Child, and Francesco Calabrese, connecting them with brands, agencies, and production briefs.
- Originals (Original IP Development) Original IP development creating new worlds, intriguing characters, and longform stories with world-class writers and global production partners, including animated series and feature film co-productions.
- Way of the Bey BeyBlade-X spin-off anime series introducing the Sushi Senpai character, featuring an origin story and 8 chapters distributed on YouTube and TikTok, developed with Eclipse Productions for Takara Tomy.
- Team Jay by Juventus (Season 2)
- Mya Go Pre-school animated series about young girl Mya Go and her family in Everyday town, delivered as a 156-episode production developed with Still Films and co-produced internationally.
- Kim (Feature Film Co-Production) Animated feature film co-production with Cosmos-Maya (India), adapting Kipling's classic novel into a family feature film, directed by Ketan Mehta with script by Jim V. Hart, with Piranha Bar leading on the visual look of the film.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly two decades of ongoing client relationships with brands like Vhi Healthcare
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Piranha Bar
Customer profileNamed customers43 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Piranha Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature4 records
Piranha Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cosmos-MayacoreCo-producing animation feature film 'Kim' with Indian studio Cosmos-Maya. Piranha Bar leads on the look of the film bringing contemporary design acumen alongside experienced Indian partners.
- Eclipse ProductionscoreOngoing collaboration with Eclipse Productions on Juventus Football Club's Team Jay animated series. Season 2 production including 12 episodes plus special Lucca Comics content.
- Still FilmscoreIrish co-production partner for documentary 'Last Hijack' - an international co-production with Submarine, Razor Film, Savage Film, IKON, and ZDF.
- Animation Studio Partners (Cosmos Maya India)minorAnimation studio partner for Team Jay production enabling efficient character animation through their pipeline.
- Publicis DublincoreLong-standing agency partnership spanning nearly two decades, producing campaigns for Vhi Healthcare, ESB, Virgin Media, and other clients.
- BBDO DublincoreAgency partnership for campaigns including Game of Thrones Studio Tour, Lidl campaigns, Hunter for Health Insurance Authority.
- Leo Burnett / Digitas LondoncoreLong-term partnership with Kellogg's spanning over a decade on Coco Pops and Tresor/Krave brands.
- TBWA DublincoreAgency partnership for SuperValu Triple Value Campaign, SEAI Home Energy Upgrades, and other projects.
- Rothco Accenture InteractivecoreAgency partnership for AIB GAA campaigns including Club & County and The Toughest Journey.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Piranha Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Blue Zoo Animation Studio: UK-based animation studio producing original kids' content and creative services. Similar in original IP development and animation services, comparable size band.
- Jam Media: Dublin animation studio producing original kids' IP and providing animation services. Comparable in animation services and original IP development, slightly larger and more IP-focused.
Broad incumbents
- Framestore: Global VFX and immersive content studio serving film, advertising, and brand experience clients. Overlaps with Piranha Bar's VFX and animation offering but at a vastly larger scale and geographic footprint.
- The Mill: Global creative production and VFX studio serving advertising and entertainment clients. Competes with Piranha Bar on high-end commercial VFX and animation, but at much larger scale.
Regional players
- Igloo Animation: Ireland-based animation studio providing 2D and 3D animation services. Comparable as a regional animation services peer but with less focus on original IP than Piranha Bar.
Direct peers
- Kavaleer Productions: Dublin-based animation studio producing children's and family content, including original IP and co-productions. Comparable to Piranha Bar's originals/animation development work.
- Screen Scene: Irish post-production and VFX house serving broadcast, film, and advertising clients. Comparable size and segment focus to Piranha Bar's broadcast and VFX divisions.
- Windmill Lane: Dublin-based creative studio offering film, VFX, post-production, and broadcast services to brands and agencies. Direct peer to Piranha Bar in the Irish premium creative production market.
- Bow Wow Studios: Dublin creative studio specializing in animation and motion design for advertising and broadcast. Directly competes with Piranha Bar's animation and motion design offering for Irish and European brand clients.
- Gorilla Post Production: Dublin-based post-production facility serving advertising and broadcast clients. Closely comparable to Piranha Bar's broadcast and advertising post-production services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Piranha Bar social profiles
Digital presencePiranha Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Piranha Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Piranha Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Piranha Bar 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 Piranha Bar
What does Piranha Bar do?
Piranha Bar is an independently owned, artist-led creative studio that delivers animation, VFX, motion design, and full-service broadcast post-production for brands, agencies, broadcasters, and government clients. The studio also develops and co-produces original IP, including animated series and feature films, working with international production partners. Operations are run from a Dublin headquarters featuring 16 broadcast suites and proprietary pipelines such as AniMotion and Unreal Engine real-time rendering.
Is Piranha Bar a public or private company?
Piranha Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Piranha Bar founded?
Piranha Bar was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Piranha Bar based?
Piranha Bar is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Piranha Bar make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Creative Production Services are the primary driver. The others are original IP Development.
Who are Piranha Bar's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Blue Zoo Animation Studio and Jam Media. Broad incumbents are Framestore and The Mill. Igloo Animation is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Kavaleer Productions, Screen Scene, Windmill Lane, Bow Wow Studios and Gorilla Post Production.
Does Piranha Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Piranha Bar.