Turner Int’l invests in UK edutainment firm

Turner International’s Digital Ventures & Innovation (DV&I) Group has invested in a UK-based company that creates and distributes edutainment content for kids.

Turner International will provide funding and expertise to support the international growth of Bright Little Labs (BLL) following the deal, financial details of which were not disclosed.

Turner International and BLL will now develop IP linked to the latter’s aim of engaging, entertaining and educating kids about critical thinking, computer science and coding.

The company’s existing edutainment IP centres around Detective Dot from the Children’s Intelligence Agency, a high-tech spy agency that incorporates the official UK coding curriculum.

The agreement will also “lay the foundation for further leverage across Turner’s wider animation and licensing and merchandising portfolio,” the Cartoon Network owner said.

Turner International is now BLL’s main strategic investor. The agreement marks the media giant’s first investment in the edutainment space, where it intends to grow its presence.

Christopher Sodergren, VP, digital ventures, DV&I for Turner International, will take a seat on BLL’s board of directors following the investment.

“Partnering with relevant start-ups is a core part of our strategy to compete and lead in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape,” said Aksel van der Wal, executive VP of DV&I for Turner International.

“We saw in Bright Little Labs the opportunity to expand a great concept into an international multiplatform direct-to-consumer offering, in a way that fully embraces and utilises our expertise in kids, speaks to our desire to create new fan-centric experiences and aligns us with a like-minded partner. It also serves as a great platform for our ambitions to do more in the kids direct-to-consumer space.”

BLL CEO Sophie Deen added: “In a world of post truth, job automation and internet-enabled teddy bears that could be snooping on you, digital literacy and critical thinking are key.

“It’s imperative that all children, regardless of their background, have access to these 21st century skills, and we’ve seen first-hand that a high-tech spy agency with empowering role models like Detective Dot is a great way to achieve this.”

Turner’s kids’ portfolio includes the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Boing, Toonami and Cartoonito channels, websites and YouTube channels.

The investment in BLL follows DV&I taking a stake in Copa90 in February 2017. DV&I has also launched gaming service Gloud and movie streaming service FilmStruck internationally since forming just under 18 months ago.

Earlier this year, Turner’s Adult Swim acquired UK-based game developer Big Pixel Studios as part of its commitment to creating more multiplatform content based on the adult animation brand’s IP.