What Showlab does

Showlab is an Italian television production company established in 2004 as the media arm of Prodea Group, an Italian conglomerate, and headquartered in Turin. The company produces animation and youth formats, fiction series, documentaries, feature films, and branded corporate content, organized into five production divisions (Animation & Youth, Fiction & Entertainment, Documentary, Feature Films, and Branded & Corporate) and two commercial divisions: International Distribution & Acquisitions (activated 2019) and Consumer Products (activated 2017). Showlab operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prodea Group, with revenue generated through licensing, distribution, production fees, and consumer product monetization; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated project-by-project.

The company's core technology centers on 3D CGI animation production, exemplified by flagship properties YoYo (104x7' preschool series on RAI and Netflix in 50+ countries), Klincus (26x22' steampunk fantasy series co-produced with RAI, ZDF, Telegael, and Fabrique d'Images, co-funded by EU Creative Europe MEDIA), Miracle Tunes (animated live-action hybrid on Boing and Cartoonito), and POV - I primi anni (teen drama on RAI Gulp). Co-productions span Belgium, Ireland, Germany, and Luxembourg. THE OPERA!, a 104-minute feature film starring Vincent Cassel, Fanny Ardant, and Rossy De Palma, extends the company into theatrical cinema.

Showlab's business model is B2B content licensing and distribution. Revenue streams include production fees and content licensing for TV, cinema, and platforms; international distribution fees across the catalog in 150+ countries; licensing and merchandising revenue (toys, publishing, apparel, live events); and branded-content project fees. The primary customer segment is children and youth audiences served through broadcasters (RAI, ZDF, Boing, Cartoonito), with secondary segments in cinema, corporate brands/advertisers, and licensing/merchandising partners. Distribution is conducted through direct relationships with broadcasters and platforms, international content marketplaces, and partnerships with distributors such as Imira Entertainment and ZDF Enterprises.

Name

Showlab

Legal name

SHOWLAB SRL

Website

https://showlab.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Showlab is an Italian television production company producing animation, youth formats, fiction series, documentaries, and feature films for broadcasters, streaming platforms, and theatrical release, with global distribution reaching 150+ countries and supporting consumer products licensing and branded-content operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television & Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Co-Production & Distribution Partnerships (Pre-Sales, Output Deals) (MPABANAI), International TV Program Distribution (Sales/Output Deals) (MPABAMAD)

Keywords

• Television production
• Animation production
• Content licensing
• International distribution
• Branded content

Headquarters

HQ city

Turin

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV Production & Licensing: Production and licensing of audiovisual content for TV, cinema, and platforms. Includes animation, fiction series, documentaries, feature films, and branded corporate content.
2. International Distribution: Global sales and acquisition division distributing content to broadcasters and VOD platforms across 150+ countries. Revenue from distribution fees and catalog licensing.
3. Consumer Products & Licensing: Licensing, promotion, and marketing of animated content IP including toys, publishing, apparel, live events, meet and greets, and special events. Division started in 2017.
4. Branded & Corporate Content: Corporate communication projects with editorial approach to advertising and promotional objectives, creating cross-media storytelling for brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Showlab produces and markets audiovisual content for television, cinema, and digital platforms, including 3D CGI and 2D animated series (YoYo, Klincus, Miracle Tunes, Whiskey & Friends), scripted fiction (POV - I primi anni), feature films (THE OPERA!), and branded corporate content. Beyond production, the company operates an International Distribution & Acquisitions division that licenses its catalogue and third-party content to broadcasters and VOD platforms across 150+ countries, and a Consumer Products division that manages licensing, merchandising, and live events around its animated IP.

Product overview

Showlab is Prodea Group's media company established in 2004, operating as a television production company with a comprehensive 360-degree content management approach. The company functions as both a production house and commercial enterprise, organized into five production divisions (Animation & Youth, Fiction & Entertainment, Documentary, Feature Films, and Branded & Corporate) and two commercial divisions (International Distribution & Acquisitions and Consumer Products). Its core animated content portfolio includes YoYo (3D CGI preschool series distributed by Netflix globally), Klincus (3D CGI steampunk series), Miracle Tunes (animated live-action), and Whiskey & Friends (2D animation), alongside feature films such as THE OPERA!. The company manages the complete entertainment value chain from development and production through licensing, merchandising, and global distribution across over 150 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Animation & Youth: Production division focused on animation and youth content, under the guidance of industry expert Alfio Bastiancich. Creates popular programmes such as YoYo, POV - I primi anni, and Klincus.
• Fiction & Entertainment
• Documentary
• Feature Films
• Branded & Corporate
• Distribution
• Consumer Products

Products and services

• YoYo

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RAI (Rai Ragazzi)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing partnership with Italian public broadcaster RAI for co-producing and broadcasting animation content including YoYo, Klincus, POV - I primi anni. RAI serves as co-producer and primary Italian broadcaster.
• Grid Animation (Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for YoYo animated series with Grid Animation based in Belgium, contributing to international production quality.
• Telegael (Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for YoYo and Klincus animated series, bringing Irish animation expertise to international productions.
• ZDF (Germany)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman broadcaster and co-producer of Klincus steampunk animated series. ZDF Enterprises handles international distribution of the show.
• Fabrique d'Images (Luxembourg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxembourg-based animation studio co-producing Klincus animated series under EU MEDIA programme co-funding.
• Imira EntertainmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distribution partner for YoYo animated series, helping expand reach to global markets including Netflix and other platforms.
• Tuvalu Media (The Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch format company providing the original Brugklas format inspiration for POV - I primi anni teen drama series.
• DNA Family NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Whiskey & Friends 2D animated series based on the popular Coccole Sonore children's song YouTube phenomenon.
• Coccole Sonore (YouTube)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouTube channel that originated the Whiskey children's song phenomenon, which became the basis for Whiskey & Friends animated series with record video views.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WildBrain: Canadian entertainment company managing major kids IP libraries (Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake) with global distribution and consumer products. Comparable in integrated kids content IP monetization model at significantly larger scale.
• Zodiak Kids: Division of Banijay Kids & Family, one of the largest European children's content producers and distributors. Operates at significantly larger scale than Showlab across production, distribution, and consumer products in the same kids/youth segment.
• Gaumont Animation: French animation production arm of Gaumont producing premium kids content (e.g., Spirit, Do, Re & Mi). Comparable in animated series production for global streamers and broadcasters, with deeper institutional scale.
• Studio 100: Belgian-headquartered entertainment company producing, distributing, and licensing children's IP (Maya the Bee, Heidi) globally. Comparable in integrated animation-to-consumer products model with larger portfolio and deeper international footprint.

Direct peers

• BRB Internacional: Spanish animation production and distribution company with international kids IP portfolio (David the Gnome, Bernard). Comparable in European kids animation production with global distribution and licensing capabilities.
• Imira Entertainment: International distributor of children's content (distribution partner for Showlab's YoYo). Comparable in distribution-side operations targeting global kids broadcasters and OTT platforms.
• Mondo TV: Italian animation production and distribution company producing kids and youth content (e.g., Winx Club historical legacy, MeteoHeroes) with global distribution. Highly comparable in business model, target audience, geographic base, and integrated distribution-to-consumer products approach.
• Telegael: Irish animation studio producing children's content (co-producer with Showlab on YoYo and Klincus). Comparable in target audience, co-production model, and B2B broadcaster relationships; smaller-scale but operationally aligned.
• Grid Animation: Belgian animation studio co-producing YoYo with Showlab. Comparable as a European kids animation co-production partner serving the same broadcaster and streaming clients.
• Rainbow (Rainbow Group): Italian animation studio behind Winx Club and 44 Cats, operating in children's entertainment with global licensing and consumer products. Direct peer in animation production for kids, integrated licensing model, and Italian production base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRudFyFcVq_m2rZ7BguyLhg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Showlab