Cottonwood Media

What Cottonwood Media does

Cottonwood Media is a Paris-headquartered premium kids' content production studio founded in 2015 by David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix, and Cécile Laurenson. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Federation Studios within the Federation Kids & Family division, with additional offices in Berlin, Los Angeles, and Toronto. The company produces both live-action series (Find Me in Paris, Spellbound, Theodosia, The Lady Grace Mysteries, Circuit Breakers) and animated content (20 Dance Street, Ollie & Moon, Squish, Around the World in 80 Days), targeting children and tweens roughly aged pre-school through 14 across dance/ballet, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and adventure genres. Its productions are distinguished by an on-location partnership with the Opéra National de Paris and a deliberate cross-Atlantic design that bridges North American and European audiences.

The core technology is conventional high-end kids' content production: live-action shoots at iconic locations, plus 2D digital animation, 3D CGI, and photorealistic backgrounds. Productions are designed as multi-season series with substantial per-episode runs (e.g., Find Me in Paris at 78 episodes across three seasons; Spellbound at 39 episodes across two seasons). The company monetizes through three primary streams: (i) licensing of completed productions to linear broadcasters (BBC, ZDF, France Télévisions, Gulli, Teletoon) and streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max); (ii) co-production financing with partners including ZDF/ZDF Studios, UMedia, Be-Films, France 3 Cinema, and Studio Canal, which share cost and risk; and (iii) international sales via Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Enterprises, reaching 130+ territories. Go-to-market is therefore channel-partner driven rather than direct: Cottonwood does not sell to end audiences but to a curated set of broadcasters, streamers, and distributors that Federation's sales infrastructure monetizes on its behalf.

Customer concentration is moderate: a small number of large enterprise broadcasters (ZDF, BBC, France Télévisions, HBO Max, Hulu) anchor the slate, but the same partners tend to commission multiple titles across seasons, creating sticky relationships rather than transactional ones. Pricing is per-project and undisclosed. The combined effect of multi-party co-production economics, a controlled IP library of multi-season franchises, and integration with Federation Studios' global sales apparatus defines the business model.

Name

Cottonwood Media

Legal name

Cottonwood Media

Website

https://cottonwood.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cottonwood Media is a Paris-based, Federation Studios-owned premium kids' content production studio creating multi-season live-action and animated series for North American and European audiences, distributed globally through Federation Kids & Family.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Entertainment Content Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Network/Studio Streaming Channels (MPABAHAG)

Keywords

• Kids content production
• Animated series production
• Live-action series production
• International content licensing
• Cross-Atlantic co-productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Content Licensing and Distribution: Cottonwood Media produces premium kids' content and licenses it to broadcast (BBC, ZDF, France Télévisions) and streaming platforms (Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Netflix) across international territories. Revenue is generated through licensing fees, co-production financing, and international sales via Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Enterprises.
2. Box Office Revenue: The animated feature film Around the World in 80 Days was distributed by Studio Canal and achieved #1 French box office internationally in 2021, generating theatrical revenue.
3. Co-Production Financing: Cottonwood Media participates in multi-party co-productions with partners including ZDF, ZDF Studios, France 3 Cinema, Umedia, Be-Films, and others, sharing production costs and distribution rights.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cottonwood Media is a premium kids' content production studio that creates, produces, and invests in talent-driven live-action series, animated series (2D digital, 3D CGI with photorealistic backgrounds), and animated feature films. The company specializes in cross-Atlantic co-productions targeting both linear broadcasters and non-linear streaming platforms. Its productions are licensed internationally to major broadcasters and streaming services such as BBC, ZDF, France Télévisions, Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Netflix.

Product overview

Cottonwood Media is a content production company that creates, produces, and invests in premium talent-driven kids content for North American and European audiences. The company operates as a subsidiary of Federation Studios and part of its kids division, Federation Kids & Family. Its portfolio consists of live-action series (Find Me in Paris, Spellbound, Theodosia, The Lady Grace Mysteries, Circuit Breakers) and animated productions (20 Dance Street, Ollie & Moon, Squish, Around The World in 80 Days). Productions are distributed across both linear platforms (BBC, ZDF, France Télévisions) and non-linear/streaming platforms (Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, HBO Max).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Find Me in Paris Premium live-action tween drama series spanning 3 seasons (78 episodes of 26 minutes each) about a 1905 Russian Princess accidentally time-traveled to the 21st century while attending the Paris Opera Ballet School. Combines ballet, contemporary dance, hip-hop, comedy, and drama. Distributed on Hulu and licensed across 130+ territories.
• Spellbound High-concept teen drama series combining ballet, magic, and witchcraft, following an American teenager who relocates to France to study at the Paris Opera Ballet School and discovers she is a witch. Two seasons with 39 total half-hour episodes. Licensed to Hulu.
• Theodosia Premium live-action adventure series based on the best-selling book series by Robin L. LaFevers. Follows 14-year-old Theodosia Throckmorton who discovers magical powers after finding the Eye of Horus artifact. Two seasons available. Licensed to HBO Max (both seasons), France Télévisions, Salto, Globo, and BBC.
• The Lady Grace Mysteries Live-action period spy drama following Lady Grace Cavendish, the world's first teen girl spy navigating royal politics during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. Commissioned by BBC and ZDF with 23 episodes of 30 minutes each.
• Circuit Breakers Half-hour sci-fi anthology series where curiosity leads to chaos when students in the near future experience mysterious events. Created by Melody Fox with executive producer Matt Hastings. Licensed to Apple TV+.
• 20 Dance Street 3D CGI animated series about Maya, an 11-year-old who leaves her Caribbean island to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. Produced in partnership with Opéra National de Paris.
• The Ollie & Moon Show Pre-school animated series featuring six-year-old cat friends Ollie and Moon who spin everyday life into globetrotting adventures. Based on the Random House book series. Licensed to Netflix as original broadcaster.
• Squish Animated comedy series about Squish, an amoeba who wears a ballcap and navigates middle school life in a town inhabited solely by single-celled creatures. Based on the Random House book series by Jennifer Holm & Matthew Holm. Broadcast on Gulli (France) and Teletoon (Canada).
• Around the World in 80 Days Premium comedy-adventure animated feature film about Passepartout, a marmoset who joins explorer Phileas Frog on a bet to travel around the world in 80 days. Runtime of 85 minutes, target age 4–10 years. Theatrically distributed by Studio Canal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Find Me in Paris broadcast in over 130 territories
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Federation StudiosflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCottonwood Media is a subsidiary of Federation Studios and a part of its kids' division Federation Kids & Family. Federation Studios was co-founded by David Michel alongside Cottonwood. Federation Studios provides corporate backing, the international sales infrastructure, and strategic direction for Cottonwood's productions.
• Opéra National de PariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCottonwood has a partnership with the Opéra National de Paris for productions like Find Me in Paris, Spellbound, and 20 Dance Street. The Opéra National de Paris provides access to the Paris Opera Ballet School as an authentic production location, enabling unique on-location filming at one of the world's most elite dance institutions.
• ZDF / ZDF EnterprisesflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZDF (German public broadcaster) and ZDF Enterprises serve as co-production partners and international sales co-distributors for multiple Cottonwood productions including Find Me in Paris (all 3 seasons), Theodosia (both seasons), Spellbound, and 20 Dance Street. ZDF provides co-production financing and broadcast licensing for the German market while ZDF Enterprises handles international sales.
• Studio CanalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStudio Canal distributed the animated feature film Around the World in 80 Days internationally. The film, produced by Cottonwood Media in co-production with France 3 Cinema and Umedia, achieved #1 box office for a French film internationally in 2021.
• UMediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMedia (Belgian media group) is a co-production partner on multiple Cottonwood productions including Find Me in Paris, Around the World in 80 Days, 20 Dance Street, and The Lady Grace Mysteries. UMedia provides co-production financing and access to Belgian/EU funding mechanisms.
• Be-FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBe-Films is a Belgian film and television production company and co-producer on Find Me in Paris (all seasons) and The Lady Grace Mysteries, contributing to production financing and creative collaboration.
• France 3 CinemacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrance 3 Cinema is a co-producer of Around the World in 80 Days and contributes French theatrical and broadcast financing as part of the French film financing ecosystem.
• Creative Europe – Media ProgrammeminorOthersCottonwood's productions receive support from the Creative Europe – Media Programme of the European Union, which provides funding for European audiovisual works including Find Me in Paris and 20 Dance Street.
• Planeta JuniorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlaneta Junior serves as co-production partner and international sales agent for the Squish animated series alongside Federation Kids & Family, handling distribution across select international territories.
• HBO MaxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHBO Max is the streaming home for Theodosia (both seasons) in the North American market, providing commissioning and licensing revenue.
• BBCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBBC is the commissioning broadcaster for The Lady Grace Mysteries and Theodosia Season 2 in the UK market, providing original commissioning and broadcast licensing.
• GlobominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobo is an original broadcaster for Theodosia in Brazil, providing Latin American broadcast licensing.
• France TélévisionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrance Télévisions is a broadcast partner for Theodosia (Season 1), Spellbound, Find Me in Paris, and 20 Dance Street, providing French domestic broadcast licensing and co-production financing.
• Mac GuffminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMac Guff (French animation studio) is a historical production partner referenced through Zoé Carrera Allaix's career, having worked on The Lorax, Kirikou, and Pat et Stan as Production Director and Executive Producer. Not a current active production partner based on available information.
• Coolabi Group ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoolabi Group Production is the production partner for The Lady Grace Mysteries, based on the Coolabi-published book series, providing IP rights and production collaboration.
• Federation Kids & FamilyflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFederation Kids & Family is the international sales and distribution division handling global sales for Cottonwood's productions. The team includes Monica Levy, Guillaume Pommier, Lucile Avezard, and Jérômine Ader de La Villardière as international sales managers covering territories worldwide.
• SaltominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSalto (French streaming platform) is an original broadcaster for Theodosia Season 1 in France, alongside ZDF, ZDF Studios, HBO Max, Globo, and France Télévisions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cyber Group Studios: Paris-based kids' animation and live-action production studio with similar genre portfolio and international co-production model. Direct competitor in French-origin premium kids content for global broadcasters and streamers.
• Guru Studio: Toronto-based animation studio producing premium kids' content for global streamers (including Netflix, Apple TV+). Comparable as a mid-sized independent kids animation producer with cross-border distribution focus.
• CAKE Entertainment: London-based kids' content production and international distribution company. Comparable in producing and licensing premium kids' animation to global platforms and broadcasters.
• TeamTO: French animation studio producing premium kids' and family animated series and features. Comparable in animation capabilities (2D, 3D CGI), European production base, and supply relationships with global streamers.
• Boat Rocker Media: Canadian independent entertainment company with a significant kids and family division producing animated and live-action series for global platforms. Comparable as a mid-sized studio competing for the same commissioning slots.
• Zodiak Kids & Family (Banijay Kids & Family): Major European kids' content production and distribution group with a comparable slate of animated and live-action series. Closely comparable in business model (production + international distribution) and in competing for the same streamer and broadcaster commissions.
• Marathon Media: French animation studio where Cottonwood's founders previously built Totally Spies!. Operates in the same French production ecosystem with similar kids' animation focus, making it the most analogous heritage peer.

Broad incumbents

• Studio 100: Large European family entertainment company with animation production, IP ownership (e.g., Maya the Bee), and merchandising. Comparable as a kids' content producer and rights holder operating at broader scale across more verticals.
• Hasbro Entertainment: Major toy and entertainment conglomerate with significant kids' content production capabilities through eOne and own IP. Overlaps as a supplier of premium kids' content to global streamers and broadcasters, but operates at vastly larger scale and across many more franchises.

Emerging players

• Wildseed Studios: UK-based emerging kids and youth content studio. Partial overlap as a smaller-scale premium kids content producer targeting streaming platforms, though operating at earlier scale and stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cottonwoodmedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/cottonwoodmediapage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cottonwood-media
• Instagraminstagram.com/cottonwood_media/?hl=fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cottonwood Media