Vertical TV
Vertical TV (Eight Network Creations Private Limited) is a Bengaluru-based mobile-first micro drama streaming platform serving Indian consumers and creators, monetizing via in-app virtual currency, advertising, and planned subscriptions, and recently expanding into U.S. theatrical film distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBengaluru, India
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Vertical TV does
Vertical TV, operated by Eight Network Creations Private Limited, is a Bengaluru-based, founder-led private company building a mobile-first micro drama streaming platform. The core product delivers short-form vertical video content — "one minute at a time" — across dedicated Android and iOS applications (Google Play, Apple App Store) and a Progressive Web App, with sub-brands Vertical Shorts and Vertical Reels extending the content taxonomy. The technical stack is built on commodity cloud infrastructure (AWS), third-party video delivery (Agora), and standard identity, payment, and analytics integrations (Google/Facebook/Apple SSO, Razorpay, PhonePe, Apple Pay, Google Play Billing, Mixpanel, CleverTap, Singular, Firebase).
The platform serves two primary user segments: mobile consumers seeking short-form narrative entertainment, and content creators who distribute micro dramas through the app. Monetization is anchored on a virtual currency system (coins or points purchasable with real currency to unlock content and virtual goods), supplemented by interest-based advertising using device identifiers and third-party ad partners. A subscription tier is referenced in the Terms of Service but not publicly launched or priced.
Operationally, the company is small (1–10 employees), self-funded or founder-financed (no disclosed venture rounds), and operates with a product-led growth motion relying on app store discovery and organic social presence on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Strategically, Vertical has recently extended beyond its Indian micro drama roots into U.S. theatrical distribution via high-profile acquisitions — 'The Weight' at Sundance 2026 and 'Desert Warrior' (an MBC Studios $150M Saudi epic, slated for April 2026 U.S. release) — indicating an ambitious but capital-intensive pivot into premium long-form content distribution.
Vertical TV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vertical TV
- Legal name
- Eight Network Creations Private Limited
- Website
- https://www.watchvertical.co/
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Vertical TV (Eight Network Creations Private Limited) is a Bengaluru-based mobile-first micro drama streaming platform serving Indian consumers and creators, monetizing via in-app virtual currency, advertising, and planned subscriptions, and recently expanding into U.S. theatrical film distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vertical TV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Video Streaming
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- FAST Linear Streaming Channels (Ad-Supported) (MPABAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Transactional VOD Distribution (TVOD) (MPADAJAF)
Keywords
Where Vertical TV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bengaluru
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Vertical TV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Virtual Currency and Virtual Goods: The platform operates a virtual currency system ('coins, points or similar') that users can purchase with real currency to unlock content, features, or virtual goods within the platform. All virtual currency transactions are processed through third-party payment providers including Razorpay, PhonePe, Apple Pay, and Google Play billing. Transactions are final and non-refundable according to Terms of Service.
- Subscription Services: Future subscription-based access to premium content sections. All payments are pre-paid and non-refundable. Subscriptions may include automatic recurring billing options managed through third-party payment processors.
- Advertising: The platform employs interest-based advertising using cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels, and device identifiers (GAID, IDFA) to deliver personalized ads. Third-party advertising partners collect user data including geolocation, device identifiers, and browsing behavior to serve targeted advertisements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual Currency system - no public pricing disclosed |
| Subscription | Annual | Subscription services - pricing not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Vertical TV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vertical TV is a mobile-first micro drama streaming platform that delivers short-form vertical video content with complete story arcs in roughly one-minute segments. The service is accessible via dedicated iOS and Android apps and a Progressive Web App, and monetizes through interest-based advertising, purchasable virtual currency, and planned subscription access to premium content. The platform also serves as a distribution channel for creators producing micro drama and short-form vertical content.
Product overview
Vertical TV is a mobile-first micro drama streaming platform operated by Eight Network Creations Private Limited, offering short-form vertical video content formatted for smartphone viewing. The core product is the Vertical TV platform itself (spanning web at watchvertical.co and a Progressive Web App), complemented by two sub-brands—Vertical Shorts and Vertical Reels—which represent specific short-form content formats within the ecosystem. The company distributes via dedicated mobile apps for Android (Google Play) and iOS (Apple App Store), and monetizes through a dual model combining Virtual Currency (purchasable or earnable in-app) and subscription-based access to premium content tiers. The platform's content library focuses on micro dramas—rapid-fire, one-minute narrative videos—alongside reels-style short-form entertainment, positioning itself as a hijacker of attention in the short-form video space.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vertical TV Mobile Streaming Platform Mobile-first streaming service that delivers short-form vertical video content and complete micro drama story arcs in approximately one-minute segments to individual consumers across Android, iOS, and the web.
- Virtual Currency (in-app coins/points) A platform-native currency (coins, points, or similar) that users can earn or purchase with real money to access premium content, features, and virtual goods inside Vertical TV; all transactions are processed as final and non-refundable.
- Virtual Goods Digital items—such as assets, commodities, or abilities—that users can earn or purchase inside the Vertical TV platform using real currency or Virtual Currency.
Companies that use Vertical TV
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Vertical TV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Feature2 records
Vertical TV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MBC StudioscoreSaudi film production company behind 'Desert Warrior', a $150M production announced as part of Saudi Arabia's strategy to become a film and TV hub. Vertical acquired U.S. theatrical distribution rights to this film, representing a significant content partnership for the platform.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vertical TV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DramaBox: Mobile-first micro drama platform by Storymatrix (Tencent-affiliated) offering short-form vertical drama series with virtual currency unlock. Closely comparable in format, mobile distribution, and virtual goods monetization.
- ReelShort: Direct micro drama streaming app operated by Crazy Maple Studio (Collage Group), offering vertical short-form drama episodes monetized via virtual currency. Most comparable peer given identical format, mobile distribution, and virtual currency monetization model.
- ShortMax: Micro drama streaming service delivering short-form vertical video drama series via mobile apps with virtual goods monetization. Comparable in product category and target audience.
- GoodShort: Micro drama streaming app delivering vertical short-form drama episodes via mobile apps with virtual currency unlock model. Directly comparable in product category, format, and go-to-market motion.
- FlexTV: Short-form vertical drama app by Yidian Technology, monetized through virtual currency and subscriptions. Closely comparable in mobile-first micro drama format targeting global audiences.
Broad incumbents
- YouTube Shorts: Google's short-form vertical video product integrated into YouTube. Competes with Vertical TV for short-form video attention and creator monetization, with vastly larger distribution, algorithm, and monetization infrastructure.
- TikTok: ByteDance's global short-form video platform with billions of users. While not a micro drama specialist, it dominates the vertical short-form video category where Vertical TV operates and competes for the same creator and viewer attention.
- Instagram Reels: Meta's short-form vertical video product embedded in Instagram. Competes for the same mobile short-form attention as Vertical TV, with massive existing user base and creator ecosystem.
Regional players
- MX Player: India-headquartered video streaming platform (Times Internet). While focused on longer-form content, it competes for the same Indian mobile entertainment audience, advertising spend, and local payment UX territory as Vertical TV.
- Pocket FM: India-based audio and short-video entertainment platform offering serialized stories via mobile app. Operates in adjacent short-form narrative content category with overlapping Indian mobile consumer base and virtual currency-like monetization.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Vertical TV social profiles
Digital presenceVertical TV compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Vertical TV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vertical TV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Vertical TV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vertical TV 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 Vertical TV
What does Vertical TV do?
Vertical TV is a mobile-first micro drama streaming platform that delivers short-form vertical video content with complete story arcs in roughly one-minute segments. The service is accessible via dedicated iOS and Android apps and a Progressive Web App, and monetizes through interest-based advertising, purchasable virtual currency, and planned subscription access to premium content. The platform also serves as a distribution channel for creators producing micro drama and short-form vertical content.
Is Vertical TV a public or private company?
Vertical TV is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vertical TV founded?
Vertical TV was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Vertical TV based?
Vertical TV is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, in the Asia region.
How does Vertical TV make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Virtual Currency and Virtual Goods are the primary driver. The others are subscription Services and advertising.
Who are Vertical TV's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DramaBox, ReelShort, ShortMax, GoodShort and FlexTV. Broad incumbents are YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels. Regional players are MX Player and Pocket FM.
Does Vertical TV have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vertical TV.
What industry is Vertical TV in?
Vertical TV's product category is Mobile Video Streaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABAHAD, FAST Linear Streaming Channels (Ad-Supported), with a secondary code of MPADAJAF, Transactional VOD Distribution (TVOD). Its NAICS code is 5162 and its SIC code is 7812.