Uyoung

What Uyoung does

Uyoung (优扬文化传媒股份有限公司) is a Beijing-headquartered children's media and entertainment company founded in 2000 that operates an integrated IP-to-derivatives value chain spanning original animation production, licensed IP distribution, preschool educational hardware, mobile content apps, and IP marketing services. The company owns and develops the Ubbie (优彼) early-education brand for ages 0–6, anchored by parent-child bear characters and a hardware line that includes Bluetooth story machines, situational learning boxes, thinking trainers, and a children's smartwatch with voice dialing and translation. Original animation IPs include P. King Duckling (豆小鸭) — the first Chinese original animation acquired by Disney Junior US (premiered November 2016) — and BattleClaw (兽王争锋), an action series for boys that secured a global master toy license with Mattel. Uyoung also acts as exclusive Chinese agent for premium foreign IPs such as Shaun the Sheep (Aardman), In the Night Garden, Get Squiggling, Timmy Time, Olly the Little White Van, and Mouk, and holds licenses for Pokémon and Astro Boy merchandise.

Distribution is multi-channel: the Xiaoyou Youqu (小小优趣) mobile app streams curated bilingual preschool content with parent-side WeChat mini-program controls and viewing-time management; the Ubabytv pay-TV channel covers 243 cities and reportedly reaches 84.55 million users; IP derivatives are sold through Tmall, JD.com, Amazon, Vipshop, Suning, and maternal-infant WeChat official accounts; broadcast partnerships include CCTV Children's Channel, Disney Junior US, and China International Television Corporation. Uyoung monetizes through a mix of licensing royalties (brand IP and content distribution), IP derivatives e-commerce, freemium/subscription app revenue, and the U-Marketing service platform that provides IP-driven brand-empowerment services to enterprise clients. Operational footprint includes Beijing headquarters, Shanghai (with an animation studio), Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and a wholly-owned US subsidiary — UYoung Entertainment in Los Angeles — which operates an animation studio focused on production of original content.

The company is privately held, founded and operated by its leadership team with no disclosed institutional investors beyond a single 2010 round of approximately $454,512 from Hony Capital and Tencent Investment. Headcount stands at the 251–500 band (300+ as of 2016), and the studio has collected notable industry recognition including a 2010 BAFTA Award for Best Animation and International Emmy Awards for Shaun the Sheep, a 2017 SARFT First Category Prize for P. King Duckling, and a 2016 Top 10 Licensing Team of the Year award.

Name

Uyoung

Legal name

优扬文化传媒股份有限公司

Website

https://uyoung.com.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Uyoung is a Beijing-based children's media company that creates original animation IPs, licenses premium foreign brands for China, sells Ubbie-branded educational hardware, and operates the Xiaoyou Youqu preschool content app and Ubabytv pay-TV channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. IP Brand Licensing: Multi-dimensional brand empowerment services for clients including marketing strategy, market analysis, IP marketing tactics, commodity development and design guidance, distribution channel support, promotion creative services, and media resource coordination.
2. IP Derivatives E-commerce: Online sales of IP brand derivatives (Ubbie products) through comprehensive e-commerce platforms (Tmall, JD.com, Amazon, Vipshop, Suning), industry vertical e-commerce platforms, and self-media content e-commerce platforms including maternal and infant WeChat official accounts.
3. 小小优趣 App: Subscription or freemium model for preschool enlightenment content app with exclusive and classic animation content, bilingual mode, and parental controls.
4. Content Production and Distribution: Original animation production and global distribution including TV broadcast rights, merchandise licensing, and entertainment partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Uyoung is a children's media and entertainment company that creates original animation IPs, distributes licensed international children's properties, and operates a multi-product platform spanning preschool education hardware (Ubbie brand), mobile apps (Xiaoyou Youqu, Ubaby), and IP marketing services. The company monetizes its content library through brand licensing, e-commerce sales of IP derivatives, app subscriptions, and B2B IP marketing services to enterprise clients.

Product overview

Uyung (优扬文化传媒股份有限公司) is a children's entertainment and education media company founded in 2000, operating as a multi-product platform with original and licensed animation IPs, hardware education products, digital apps, and IP marketing services. The core product portfolio includes the Ubbie (优彼) IP brand targeting 0-6 year olds with parent-child bear characters and related educational hardware (story machines, learning boxes, thinking trainers, smart watches); the Xiaoyou Youqu (小小优趣) mobile app providing curated preschool video and audio content with parent controls; the Ubaby platform with app and TV channel for infant education. Original animation IPs include P. King Duckling (豆小鸭) and BattleClaw (兽王争锋), while licensed IPs include Shaun the Sheep, In the Night Garden, Get Squiggling, Timmy Time, Olly the Little White Van, and Mouk. The company also operates IP marketing services (U-Marketing), live shows and events, and an animation production studio with locations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Los Angeles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 优彼 (Ubbie): Early childhood education brand for infants and children aged 0-6, featuring the Ubbie parent-child bear characters. Products include Bluetooth story machines, situational learning magic boxes, thinking trainers, and smart watches.
• 宝贝家 (Ubaby)
• 小小优趣 (Xiaoyou Youqu / Ukids)
• U-Marketing

Products and services

• Xiaoyou Youqu (小小优趣) App

Quantifiable outcome

• P. King Duckling and BattleClaw both ranked #1 in ratings for their time slots during November 2016 premiere
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• China International Television Corporation (中国国际电视总公司)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2019Exclusive distribution partner for 'P. King Duckling: Magic Squad' which was showcased at the Annecy International Animation Festival. Partnership for content distribution across Chinese markets.
• Turner (特纳)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2019New animation IP cooperation project announced between Uyoung and Turner (CNN, Cartoon Network parent company).
• Mattel (美泰)flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 November 2016Global master toy licensing deal for BattleClaw (兽王争锋). This marked the first time Mattel launched a product range in China before the rest of the world. Mattel is the world's largest toy company and this partnership validates BattleClaw as a premium children's IP.
• Disney JuniorflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2016P. King Duckling premiered on Disney Junior US in November 2016. This was the first Chinese original animation ever purchased by Disney Junior, marking a significant milestone for Chinese animation content reaching international markets.
• Aardman AnimationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Shaun the Sheep (小羊肖恩) - exclusive agent for Shaun the Sheep in China. The show has won multiple awards including BAFTA, International Emmy Awards, and Annecy Festival recognition.
• Super Simple (旗下内容)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive content partnership for Super Simple content on 小小优趣 app. Super Simple is a globally popular children's education content brand.
• Okido (奥趣多)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive content partnership for Okido content on 小小优趣 app. Okido is a UK-based science and art magazine for children.
• Guess How Much I Love U (猜猜我有多爱你)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive content partnership for Guess How Much I Love U on 小小优趣 app. Popular Irish children's book series.
• WonderBall (奇妙球家族)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive content partnership for WonderBall on 小小优趣 app.
• Pokémon (精灵宝可梦)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed IP partnerships for Pokémon brand merchandise in China, as showcased at the 2019 Shanghai Licensing Expo.
• Astro Boy (阿童木)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed IP partnerships for Astro Boy merchandise in China, as showcased at the 2019 Shanghai Licensing Expo.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alpha Group (奥飞娱乐): The largest publicly listed Chinese children's entertainment and toy IP company, producing domestic animation and operating both licensing and toy businesses. Most direct comparable on China origin IP + toy/license monetization model.
• Original Force (原力动画): Large Chinese animation production and co-development studio serving global clients. Direct comp on original animation production capability and US-facing co-production model.
• Babybus (宝宝巴士): Chinese preschool education apps and animation IP company with global reach; direct comp on bilingual preschool content app distribution and original early-childhood IP.
• iQIYI (爱奇艺) Kids: Major China streaming operator with dedicated kids' vertical curating and streaming children's animation content; competes directly for preschool audience attention and licensing windows.
• Fantawild Animation (华强方特): Vertically integrated Chinese animation studio and theme-park operator with original children's IPs (Boonie Bears). Comparable as a domestic Chinese animation IP owner pursuing licensing and beyond-screen monetization.

Broad incumbents

• Mattel: World's largest toy company and Uyoung's master toy licensing partner for BattleClaw. A larger incumbent on the toymaking side of the same children-IP-to-product pipeline.
• Tencent Penguin Pictures (腾讯企鹅影视): Tencent's animation production and distribution arm investing heavily in Chinese original IPs across multiple genres. Larger incumbent with significant capital backing in the same domestic animation/IP space.

Emerging players

• Bilibili (哔哩哔哩): Major Chinese video platform with growing animation, kids' content verticals and proprietary cartoon IPs. Partial overlap as a distribution and animation-co-development competitor to Uyoung's content arm.
• Pop Mart (泡泡玛特): Chinese IP-to-merchandise company expanding rapidly in collectible toys and IP licensing; comparable on the IP-derivative monetization route, though more focused on pop culture rather than children's properties.

Others

• Aardman Animations: British animation studio (Shaun the Sheep) and partner/content owner for Uyoung's licensing portfolio. Same production ecosystem, sits upstream as an IP licensor rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Uyoung