Panenka
Panenka is a privately held Belgian media production company founded in 2014 in Antwerp, producing entertainment, fiction, and documentary content for Flemish broadcasters, Belgian streamers, and global platforms like Netflix and HBO Max, with international format licensing to 180 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAntwerp, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Panenka does
Panenka is a privately held Belgian media production company founded in Antwerp in 2014 by Tom Lenaerts and Kato Maes, producing content across three verticals: entertainment (quiz and game shows such as SWITCH and Taboe), fiction (drama series like Over Water and Twee Zomers, period whodunit This Is Not a Murder Mystery, dramedy Kassa Kassa), and documentary (Therapie, Het Leven in Kleur, Mobutu's Game, Het Vaticaan). The company also produces feature films, including Zondag de Negenste, which premiered theatrically via Paradiso Filmed Entertainment. Panenka operates a B2B production model with no direct consumer pricing: it co-produces with Flemish public and commercial broadcasters (VRT, RTL Belgium, Proximus Pickx, VTM, Play4) and streaming platforms (Streamz, Videoland, Netflix), layered with Belgian Tax Shelter investment vehicles that offer Belgian corporates a stated net yield of 12.77% over 18 months. International distribution is executed through specialist sales agents — LineUp Industries, ZDF Enterprises, France TV Distribution, Studiocanal, Federation Studios, About Premium Content — and through direct deals with global streamers including Netflix and HBO Max. The technology core is conventional television and film production; there is no disclosed proprietary software, AI/ML tooling, or platform architecture. Panenka's growth flywheel rests on format replication: Taboe has been remade in 9+ countries, Switch has produced 100+ episodes as Switch USA since 2021, and Two Summers is available in 180 countries via Netflix, generating licensing royalties and production support fees layered on top of domestic commissioning revenue. The firm funds productions through a consortium of public bodies (VAF, Screen Flanders, Screen Brussels, Creative Europe MEDIA, Screen Ireland) alongside broadcaster commissions and Tax Shelter capital, and is recognized via the Ensor awards, Prix Europa, Realscreen, EBU Format Awards, Rose d'Or nominations, and Series Mania.
Panenka firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Panenka
- Legal name
- Panenka
- Website
- https://panenka.tv
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Panenka is a privately held Belgian media production company founded in 2014 in Antwerp, producing entertainment, fiction, and documentary content for Flemish broadcasters, Belgian streamers, and global platforms like Netflix and HBO Max, with international format licensing to 180 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Panenka industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Television Content Production
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise/Creator Video Hosting & OTT SaaS Platforms (MPACAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Stock Media, Asset Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (BPAMAJAM)
Keywords
Where Panenka is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Antwerp
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Panenka business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Co-production with Broadcasters: Panenka co-produces shows with Belgian broadcasters (VRT, RTL, Proximus) and streaming platforms (Streamz, Videoland, Netflix). Broadcasters provide funding and commissioning in exchange for broadcast rights.
- Tax Shelter Investment: Panenka offers Belgian companies the opportunity to invest in audiovisual productions through the Belgian Tax Shelter mechanism, providing a potential net yield of 12.77% over 18 months through tax benefits and interest payments.
- Format Sales and International Licensing: Panenka licenses their original formats internationally. Taboe has been remade in 9+ countries, Two Summers is available in 180 countries via Netflix, and Switch USA has produced 100+ episodes. Revenue comes from format licensing fees and production support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Tax Shelter investment vehicle |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Panenka product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Panenka is a Belgian media production company that develops and produces television content across three genres: entertainment (quiz shows, game shows, travel shows), fiction (drama series, whodunits, feature films), and documentary (human interest, political, and social-issue documentaries). The company produces content for Flemish broadcasters (VRT, VTM, Play4), Belgian streaming platforms (Streamz, Videoland), and international partners (Netflix, Studiocanal), while also licensing its original formats internationally and offering Tax Shelter financing opportunities to Belgian corporate investors.
Product overview
Panenka is a Belgian TV production company founded in 2014 by Tom Lenaerts and Kato Maes, producing content across three main genres: entertainment (quiz shows, reality formats), fiction (drama series and feature films), and documentary (human interest, investigative, and cultural documentaries). The company creates programming for Flemish broadcasters (VRT, VTM, Play4), streaming platforms (Streamz, Netflix, Videoland), and international distributors. Their product portfolio includes popular entertainment formats like the point-free quiz show SWITCH, the comedy-human interest series Taboo, and various decade-exploration series; critically acclaimed fiction including the whodunit This Is Not a Murder Mystery, drama series Over Water and Twee Zomers available on Netflix internationally, and feature film Zondag de Negenste; and impactful documentaries covering topics from therapy (Therapie), Vatican politics (Het Vaticaan), African history (Mobutu's Game), and social issues (Het Leven in Kleur, De Onfatsoenlijken). Many of Panenka's formats have been remade internationally, with Taboo produced in nine countries and Two Summers available in 180 countries via Netflix.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 10 Broeders (10 Monks)
Quantifiable outcome
- Taboe remade in 9+ countries worldwide
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Panenka
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Panenka technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Panenka partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PlaycoreBelgian streaming platform co-producing 10 Monks with Panenka.
- TelenetminorBelgian telecom company co-producing 10 Monks.
- Orange Belgium / Be TVminorBelgian pay-TV operator co-producing 10 Monks.
- HBO MaxcoreInternational streaming platform co-producing 10 Monks.
- About Premium ContentcoreInternational distribution company handling worldwide sales of 10 Monks.
- Paradiso Filmed EntertainmentcoreDutch film distributor handling theatrical release of Sunday Ninth in Belgian cinemas.
- RTBFminorBelgian French-language public broadcaster co-producing Mobutu's Game.
- Les Films de la PasserelleminorBelgian production company co-producing Mobutu's Game.
- VRT (VRT1, VRT Canvas, VRT MAX)corePrimary Belgian public broadcaster and co-production partner for multiple Panenka productions including This Is Not a Murder Mystery, Kassa Kassa, Taboe, Therapy, and Sunday Ninth. Provides commissioning, funding, and broadcast platform.
- RTL BelgiumcoreBelgian commercial broadcaster co-producing This Is Not a Murder Mystery and other Panenka productions.
- Proximus PickxcoreBelgian telecom and media platform co-producing This Is Not a Murder Mystery and other productions.
- Deadpan PicturesminorIrish production company co-producing This Is Not a Murder Mystery.
- New8minorBelgian production company co-producing This Is Not a Murder Mystery.
- StudiocanalcoreInternational sales agent handling worldwide distribution of This Is Not a Murder Mystery.
- StreamzcoreBelgian streaming platform and co-producer of Putain, 10 Monks, and Shelf Life (Kassa Kassa). Commissioning platform for original Panenka content.
- VideolandcoreDutch streaming platform distributing Putain and co-producing original content.
- Federation StudioscoreInternational distribution company handling worldwide sales of Het Vaticaan (The Vatican).
- France TV DistributioncoreFrench broadcaster's distribution arm handling international sales of Two Summers.
- NetflixcoreInternational streaming platform distributing Over Water and Two Summers worldwide.
- ZDF EnterprisescoreInternational distributor handling Over Water for ZDF/Germany and other territories.
- LineUp IndustriescoreFormat sales agent distributing Panenka entertainment formats internationally including Taboe, Switch, Therapy, and De Jaren series.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Panenka competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BBC Studios: International production and distribution operation of the BBC. Sets the standard for premium scripted and factual international distribution that mid-sized European producers such as Panenka target.
- ITV Studios: UK-based international production and global distribution arm of ITV. Comparable to Panenka at the format and co-production level — both develop local originals and monetize them internationally.
- Endemol Shine Group: International production and format-licensing group operating across drama, entertainment, and documentary. Provides benchmark for how scaled international format distribution translates into enterprise value.
- Banijay Group: Largest European content producer and international format licensor. Represents the global incumbent model that Panenka competes with for international format deals and premium commissions.
Others
- Federation Studios: French international sales and production company. Already a Panenka distribution partner on Het Vaticaan; comparable as an enabling ecosystem participant that monetizes mid-sized European producers' content globally.
- ZDF Enterprises: German international distribution arm of ZDF. Distribution partner on Over Water for Panenka; comparable as a complementary European distributor that channels mid-sized producers' content into German and international markets.
Direct peers
- Woestijnvis: Belgian/Flemish production company producing entertainment and documentary content for VRT and other Flemish broadcasters. Closest direct analogue to Panenka given shared Flemish-market focus, similar genre mix, and comparable scale.
- De Mensen: Belgian production company producing scripted and entertainment programming for Flemish broadcasters. Directly comparable on geography, customer base (VRT and Belgian streamers), and boutique-production model.
- A Team Productions: Belgian production company producing entertainment and reality programming for Flemish broadcasters. Comparable to Panenka in size, Flemish-market focus, and genre breadth within entertainment.
- Submarine: Amsterdam-based independent production company producing documentary, fiction, and feature films with international distribution. Similar independent-producer model, comparable scale, and parallel mix of genre and international format ambitions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Panenka social profiles
Digital presencePanenka financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Panenka leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Panenka funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Panenka 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 Panenka
What does Panenka do?
Panenka is a Belgian media production company that develops and produces television content across three genres: entertainment (quiz shows, game shows, travel shows), fiction (drama series, whodunits, feature films), and documentary (human interest, political, and social-issue documentaries). The company produces content for Flemish broadcasters (VRT, VTM, Play4), Belgian streaming platforms (Streamz, Videoland), and international partners (Netflix, Studiocanal), while also licensing its original formats internationally and offering Tax Shelter financing opportunities to Belgian corporate investors.
Is Panenka a public or private company?
Panenka is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Panenka founded?
Panenka was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Panenka based?
Panenka is headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Panenka make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Co-production with Broadcasters are the primary driver. The others are tax Shelter Investment and format Sales and International Licensing.
Who are Panenka's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BBC Studios, ITV Studios, Endemol Shine Group and Banijay Group. Others are Federation Studios and ZDF Enterprises. Direct peers are Woestijnvis, De Mensen, A Team Productions and Submarine.
Does Panenka have an API?
No public API is recorded for Panenka.
What industry is Panenka in?
Panenka's product category is Television Content Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAAAL, Enterprise/Creator Video Hosting & OTT SaaS Platforms, with a secondary code of BPAMAJAM, Stock Media, Asset Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7812.