Young Horizons

What Young Horizons does

Young Horizons is a Polish non-profit organisation founded in 2005 and headquartered in Warsaw that operates an integrated portfolio of programmes focused on film and audiovisual content for young audiences. The organisation runs the annual Young Horizons International Film Festival, which reaches 65,000+ viewers across 20+ Polish towns, and the Young Horizons Industry co-production forum, which convened 300+ international industry guests at its 10th edition in 2026 and selected 21 projects from a record 163 submissions that year. Its portfolio further includes Young Horizons Lab (a script development workshop), Producers LINK (an emerging-producers programme run jointly with Cinekid), Young Talents (a film school programme), Project Pool (a networking format), Young Horizons Distribution (theatrical and online distribution), Young Horizons Education (film education for schools), and the NH VOD video-on-demand platform; the Young Horizons Docs documentary programme is currently on hold. The 2023 rebrand from Kids Kino to Young Horizons repositioned the organisation from a children's-cinema-only identity to a broader young-audience film platform.

The business model is that of a publicly co-financed cultural non-profit rather than a commercial enterprise. Earned revenue derives primarily from Industry accreditation fees (PLN 425 per guest), Young Horizons Lab team participation fees (PLN 250 submission plus PLN 1,800–2,700 per participating team), and downstream distribution income from Young Horizons Distribution and the NH VOD platform. The remainder of the operating budget is supplied by institutional grants and public co-financing from the Polish Film Institute, Creative Europe MEDIA, the City of Warsaw, and the Netherlands Embassy, alongside a partner network that in 2026 included 14+ European film funds plus Swiss Films and Aeroplan Studios. With only 5 employees, the organisation operates a lean central team that executes a large annual programme surface area, which is a structural feature of cultural non-profit cost models but also a constraint on scaling.

Name

Young Horizons

Legal name

Stowarzyszenie Nowe Horyzonty

Website

https://industry.younghorizons.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Young Horizons is a Warsaw-based Polish non-profit that runs an annual international co-production forum (10th edition in 2026), a young-audience film festival reaching 65,000+ viewers across 20+ towns, script labs, and a distribution and VOD platform serving emerging European producers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival and Co-Production Forum

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)

Keywords

• Co-production forum
• Children film industry
• Script development lab
• Film festival market
• Youth content pitching

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accreditation fees: Young Horizons Industry charges accreditation fees to industry guests attending the forum, with early bird and regular pricing tiers. Project Pool participants pay approximately PLN 425 / EUR 100 per person.
2. Workshop and Lab participation fees: Young Horizons Lab charges a submission fee of PLN 250 excl. VAT and a participation fee of PLN 1800 excl. VAT for selected teams.
3. Co-financing and institutional funding: Co-financed by Polish Film Institute, Creative Europe MEDIA sub-programme, City of Warsaw, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Poland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Young Horizons Industry is an international co-production forum and meeting hub for film professionals developing films and series for young audiences, hosted annually in Warsaw as part of the TAURON Young Horizons International Film Festival. It connects creators with co-producers, distributors, sales agents, broadcasters, and film funds through pitching sessions, one-to-one meetings, masterclasses, and scripted development programmes (Lab, Producers LINK, Young Talents, Project Pool).

Product overview

Young Horizons is a comprehensive ecosystem of products and programmes centered on supporting the development, production, and distribution of high-quality films and series for young audiences. The core offering includes the annual Young Horizons International Film Festival (reaching 20+ towns with 160+ films and 65,000+ viewers), the Young Horizons Industry international co-production forum, the Young Horizons Lab script development workshop, and specialized talent development programmes including Producers LINK for emerging producers and Young Talents for film students. Supporting services include Project Pool for networking and Young Horizons Docs (currently on hold) for documentary development. The organization also operates distribution (Young Horizons Distribution), education (Young Horizons Education), and VOD (NH VOD) arms, making it an integrated platform spanning the entire value chain from script development through festival exhibition and theatrical/VOD distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Horizons Industry: International co-production forum for film professionals passionate about making films and series for young audiences
• Young Horizons Lab
• Young Horizons Docs
• Young Talents
• Producers LINK

Products and services

• Young Horizons Industry (International Co-Production Forum) Annual international co-production forum held in Warsaw as part of the TAURON Young Horizons International Film Festival. Connects creators of films and series for young audiences with co-producers, distributors, sales agents, broadcasters, and film funds through pitchings, one-to-one meetings, masterclasses, and networking, with approximately 300 industry guests annually.
• Young Horizons Lab Script development workshop for live-action and animation films for kids, teens, and family audiences. Selected teams work with tutor Philip LaZebnik through three on-site sessions and individual consultations to develop treatments into first or second drafts, concluding with pitching training and project presentations.
• Producers LINK Two-part programme for emerging producers of children's content, organized in collaboration with Cinekid for Professionals. Includes masterclasses, training, matchmaking, case studies, pitching workshops, and networking at events in Warsaw and Amsterdam.
• Young Talents Programme for international film and art school students and recent graduates, creating an exchange platform for up-and-coming professionals to explore the international market, meet industry professionals, get feedback, and network during the forum.
• Project Pool Non-pitching networking format for selected projects (script, development, or work-in-progress) looking for partners and co-production opportunities. Participants meet industry guests in pre-scheduled one-to-one table meetings during the Warsaw forum.
• Young Horizons International Film Festival Annual film festival presenting films for young audiences across Poland, with screenings in 20 towns and cities and online, attracting over 65,000 viewers annually. Acts as the parent event for the Young Horizons Industry co-production forum.
• Young Horizons Distribution Theatrical and online distribution arm of Young Horizons, distributing renowned films such as Belle, Yuku and the Himalayan Flower, Even Mice Belong in Heaven, and School of Magical Animals in Poland.
• Young Horizons Education Educational project providing film education for preschools and schools, reaching 120 venues with films and series for different educational stages, with approximately 450,000 attendees at educational screenings annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ international industry guests annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

44 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Polish Film Institute (PISF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Major co-financing partner of Young Horizons Industry and co-financier of the Young Horizons Lab script development programme. Also co-finances the Polish Animation presence at MIFA through SPPA.
• City of WarsawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-financing partner of Young Horizons Industry, supporting the forum as part of the Warsaw cultural ecosystem.
• Mazovia Warsaw Film CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional film commission partner supporting Young Horizons Industry and co-organiser of the Young Horizons Lab.
• Cinekid for ProfessionalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint programme organiser of Producers LINK, the two-part European talent development programme for emerging children's content producers. Second part of the programme takes place in Amsterdam during Cinekid for Professionals.
• Austrian Film InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme, supporting emerging producers of children's content.
• Croatian Audiovisual CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme for emerging producers of children's content.
• Czech Audiovisual FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Estonian Film InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Finnish Film FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Hellenic Film & Audiovisual CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• National Film Institute HungarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• The Netherlands Film FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Norwegian Film InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Screen IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Swedish Film InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm fund partner of Producers LINK programme.
• Swiss FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner of Producers LINK programme in 2026.
• Polish Regional Film Commissions (Mazovia, Lodz, Silesia, Podkarpackie, Krakow, Gdansk, Lower Silesian, Poznan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of Polish regional film commissions partnering with Producers LINK programme to support international co-production opportunities in Poland.
• m:branemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish international children's film event that awards direct access to its official selection for promising projects from Young Horizons Industry, and co-sponsor of awards.
• CEE Animation ForummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral and Eastern European animation pitching forum that awards direct access to presentations for projects from Young Horizons Industry, and co-organiser of joint webinars.
• No Problemo MusicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward sponsor granting a free music license from Audio Network's library for selected projects' production and promotional materials without restrictions on time, territory, or fields of use.
• ORKA ProductionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward sponsor offering PLN 30,000 in-kind post-production and VFX services, plus PLN 15,000 for fundraising support for co-production with Poland.
• FIXAFILMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarsaw-based post-production studio and award sponsor offering PLN 30,000 in-kind post-production and VFX services, and PLN 45,000 in-kind award.
• Audiovisual Technology Center in WroclawmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish post-production facility and award sponsor offering PLN 30,000 in-kind award.
• Polish Animation Producers Association (SPPA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of Young Talents programme partner and organiser of Polish Animation presence at MIFA Annecy with Young Horizons.
• The University of Theatre and Film Arts BudapestmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner of Young Talents programme, providing student participants from Hungary.
• Animation Production Days (APD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman co-production market for animation, joint round table organiser and partner of Young Talents programme.
• Zlin Film FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech children's film festival and partner of Young Talents programme.
• MOIN Film FundmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman film fund partner of Young Talents programme.
• The Romanian Filmmakers UnionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRomanian film industry organisation partner of Young Talents programme.
• KFF IndustrymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish film industry event partner of Young Talents programme.
• Olympia Film FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreek film festival partner of Young Talents programme.
• Creative Europe MEDIA sub-programmecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union funding programme co-financing Young Horizons Industry.
• Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in PolandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-financier of Young Horizons Industry and co-creator of the MediaLab VR installation programme with the Netherlands Embassy in Warsaw.
• Andrzej Wajda Centre for Film CulturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation of the 'Focus on Docs' section at Young Horizons Industry, co-organising documentary programming.
• Polish Producers Alliance (KIPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish film producers' alliance partner of Young Horizons Industry.
• Kids REGIO / German Children's Media FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman children's media foundation partner of Young Horizons Industry.
• Animarkt Stop Motion ForummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish stop-motion animation forum co-organising joint webinars and offering free accreditation awards to Young Horizons Industry projects.
• BrLabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian film lab offering direct access to its programme for Young Horizons Industry award winners.
• Aeroplan StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner introduced in 2026, providing award support for pitching projects.
• GS Animation / Grupa SmacznegomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish animation studio and partner of Young Talents programme, offering paid internship opportunities to programme participants as assistant director, storyboard artist, animator, or character/concept artist.
• AnimoonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish animation studio and partner of Young Talents programme.
• Creative Europe Desk PolandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of Young Horizons Lab alongside New Horizons Association.
• TAURONcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the Young Horizons International Film Festival (TAURON Young Horizons International Film Festival).
• NH VOD / Nowe Horyzonty VODmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYoung Horizons' own VOD platform for distributing films from its catalogue to audiences across Poland.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Animation Production Days: German co-production market for animation and Young Horizons' partner on Young Talents and joint round tables. Comparable as a European animation industry market targeting international co-production partnerships.
• Cinekid for Professionals: Amsterdam-based children's film industry event and Young Horizons' joint producer of the Producers LINK programme. Most direct comparable — both serve as European co-production/networking hubs for children's content producers.
• CEE Animation Forum: Central and Eastern European animation pitching forum that runs joint webinars with Young Horizons and awards direct access to its selection. Highly comparable given shared CEE focus, animation co-production content, and cross-border matchmaking model.
• Cartoon Movie: European animation pitching event for feature projects. Highly comparable in function (pitching/co-production forum) and adjacent in scope, focused on the animation segment of children's content.
• m:brane: Swedish international children's film industry event that awards Young Horizons projects direct selection access. Comparable in niche, scope, and target audience (children's film producers and creators), with a similar pitching/networking format.
• Zlin Film Festival: Czech children's film festival and partner of the Young Talents programme. Comparable as a long-running Central European festival dedicated to young audiences with associated industry programming.

Regional players

• Olympia Film Festival: Greek children's film festival and Young Talents partner. Comparable as a regional children's film festival with industry tie-ins, though primarily serving a different (Greek) national market.

Emerging players

• Kids REGIO: German children's media foundation and partner of Young Horizons Industry. Comparable as a children's media ecosystem enabler with industry programmes, though more research-and-networking oriented than a pure co-production forum.

Broad incumbents

• Annecy International Animation Film Festival (MIFA): World's largest animation festival and its MIFA market. A larger, broader incumbent that overlaps in children's/animation industry programming and is referenced in Young Horizons' distribution and partner networks.
• Berlinale / European Film Market (EFM): Major European film industry market where Young Horizons actively hosts round tables and promotes its forum. Comparable as a film industry marketplace, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/young-horizons-industry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Young Horizons