Blue Zoo

What Blue Zoo does

Blue Zoo is a London-based, creator-owned animation studio founded in 2000, operating under Blue Zoo Media Group Ltd. with a workforce of 51-100 employees at its Camden headquarters. The studio produces 2D and 3D animated content across four revenue streams: commissioned TV and film production for broadcasters (BBC, Disney Junior, StudioCanal), advertising content for brand owners (Clarks, LEGO), digital content growth and brand licensing via YouTube, social media, and mobile games, and original development through its ZooLab innovation hub. Active properties include Wonderblocks, Supertato, Mojo Swoptops, The Adventures of Paddington, Disney Lets Play, and LEGO City - No Limits, supported by co-development with Alphablocks Ltd. and ancillary digital extensions.

The studio monetises primarily through project-based B2B commissions with broadcasters, brands, and digital platforms, supplemented by licensing royalties from owned and co-developed character IP. Its go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct enterprise client relationships and project pitches. Blue Zoo is the first major animation studio in the world to receive B Corporation certification, holds multiple Emmy, BAFTA, and Annie awards (including a BAFTA Special Award), and has been named a Broadcast Best Place to Work in TV for several consecutive years. The studio operates a sister location branded Brighton Zoo and publishes an annual Impact Report.

The business model is professional-services led (commissioned animation production) combined with a licensing-and-royalty layer (character IP, mobile games, brand distribution). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project. Co-founder Oli Hyatt received an MBE for his role in establishing AnimationUK and campaigning for animation tax reliefs, which provides a favourable operating backdrop for UK-based production. No external venture capital or private equity investment is evidenced in the available data, indicating organic, founder-controlled growth.

Name

Blue Zoo

Legal name

Blue Zoo Media Group Ltd.

Website

https://blue-zoo.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Blue Zoo is a London-based, creator-owned animation studio (founded 2000) producing commissioned 2D and 3D content for broadcasters (BBC, Disney Junior, StudioCanal), brands (LEGO, Clarks), and digital platforms, with multiple Emmy and BAFTA wins and B Corp certification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Character & Creature Animation (MPADACAE)

Keywords

• Animation production services
• Children's television animation
• Branded content animation
• Character brand licensing
• Digital content growth

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV & Film Production: Creating animated episodic and feature film content for broadcasters such as BBC, Disney Junior, and StudioCanal
2. Advertising: Creating branded animation content for commercial clients including Clarks and other brands
3. Digital Content & Brand Licensing: Growing characterful brands through YouTube, social media, mobile games, licensing and distribution
4. Development & Innovation: Creator-owned studio developing original content and exploring new animation technologies and formats

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blue Zoo is a creator-owned animation studio that produces commissioned 2D and 3D animated content for broadcasters, streaming platforms, and brands, including TV series, films, advertising campaigns, and digital character brand extensions. It also grows characterful brands through co-development, mobile games, YouTube, social media, and licensing and distribution.

Product overview

Blue Zoo is an animation studio offering a portfolio of co-created animated TV series and films alongside a comprehensive suite of production services. The core product portfolio includes original and commissioned animated series such as Wonderblocks (BBC/Alphablocks), Mojo Swoptops (BBC), Supertato (BBC), The Adventures of Paddington (StudioCanal), Disney Lets Play (Disney Junior), and LEGO City – No Limits (LEGO), complemented by original shorts like Mamoon. Service offerings span TV & Film production, Advertising, Development/Co-creation, Digital Content Growth (YouTube, social media, mobile games), Brand Licensing & Distribution, Innovation/R&D, and ZooLab. The studio operates as a creator-owned studio and certified B Corp, creating content with 'genuine heart' that has earned multiple BAFTA and Emmy awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TV & Film Animation Production Full-service 2D and 3D animation production for episodic TV series and films, delivered for broadcasters and streaming platforms such as BBC, Disney Junior, and StudioCanal.
• Advertising Animation Animation services for advertising campaigns, creating branded content, commercials, and character-led storytelling for clients including Clarks, LEGO, and RSPB.
• Development & Co-Creation Original IP creation and co-development services, helping to grow characterful brands through creative partnerships with broadcasters and brand owners.
• Digital Content Growth Digital audience growth services including YouTube content creation, social media strategy, and mobile game development to expand brand reach for character IP.
• Brand Licensing & Distribution Licensing and distribution services for character brands, enabling intellectual property expansion and commercial exploitation of animation properties.
• Innovation & R&D Experimental animation R&D exploring new techniques, formats, and creative approaches to animation production.
• ZooLab An innovation hub for exploring new animation technologies and creative methodologies within Blue Zoo.
• Wonderblocks An educational animated series created in partnership with BBC and Alphablocks Ltd., designed to help children learn through engaging character-driven storytelling.
• Mojo Swoptops An animated series produced for BBC featuring the character Mojo Swoptops, with accompanying digital apps and content across YouTube and social media platforms.
• Supertato An animated series produced for BBC featuring a superhero potato character, part of Blue Zoo's growing portfolio of characterful children's content.
• The Adventures of Paddington An animated series produced in partnership with StudioCanal, bringing the beloved Paddington Bear character to life through contemporary animation.
• Disney Lets Play An animated series produced for Disney Junior, creating playful content for young audiences in collaboration with Disney's brand portfolio.
• LEGO City - No Limits An animated series produced in partnership with LEGO, creating content that expands the LEGO City universe across multiple platforms.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Zoo creates content for BBC including Wonderblocks (with Alphablocks Ltd.), Supertato, and Mojo Swoptops. BBC is a key broadcaster partner commissioning animated content.
• Disney JuniorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Zoo produces Disney Lets Play for Disney Junior, a significant content partnership with a major entertainment brand.
• StudioCanalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Zoo produced The Adventures of Paddington for StudioCanal, a major animated series partnership.
• LEGOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Zoo creates LEGO City - No Limits animated content for LEGO, a significant entertainment brand partnership.
• ClarksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Zoo creates advertising content for Clarks including the 'There's No Better Feeling' campaign and PlayPrints.
• ACCESS:VFXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Zoo works closely with ACCESS:VFX along with ScreenSkills, NextGen Skills Academy, UK Screen Alliance and festivals, universities, colleges and schools to ensure a thriving, inclusive future for the animation industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-zoo-productions
• Facebookfacebook.com/bluezooanimation
• Instagraminstagram.com/bluezoo
• Xx.com/blue_zoo

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Blue Zoo