iWorld
Kinsane to launch a digital-first kids’ entertainment company
MUMBAI: Kinsane Entertainment Inc (Kinsane) is ready to storm the kids’ entertainment space globally. A digital-first company, Kinsane will create content for kids aged 2-11 years in numerous languages and distribute that content globally through a variety of advertising, subscription and transaction-based revenue models. It is a global digital entertainment company, co-founded by Kurt Inderbitzin, Indrani Pillai and Saahil Bhargava and angel funded by Neeraj Bhargava and other investors.
Backed by Bhargava as chief mentor, the company has raised USD 2.5 million from angel investors to launch eight new shows, 100 games and 30 new characters in 2018.
Bhargava, a serial entrepreneur and one of the several prominent angel investors that seeded the company, said “We are seeing major disruptions globally in the digital media space. Television viewing is gradually declining and content consumption is being revolutionised. According to a parent survey conducted by DHX/IPSOS, 72 per cent of kids across the US, the UK, and Canada watch content on streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix. The digitisation of content has made content consumption global and omnipresent. The next leader in content will almost certainly be born digital and Kinsane aspires to be the game changer in the kids’ content space.”
Kinsane’s strategy is to create a wide variety of videos and games featuring endearing and original characters that become global, iconic brands. The goal is to take these brands, established in the digital space, and propagate them further through non-digital channels such as film, television, concerts and merchandising. Kinsane plans to launch over 8 new shows and 100 games featuring 30 new and compelling characters over the next 12 months. The core target markets for this content are the US, Europe, India, Brazil, and China.
Kurt Inderbitzin, co-founder and CEO of Kinsane, said, “We create content featuring characters that live and breathe and have personalities as rich and diverse as the very kids who are watching them. Kids can view these amazing characters, laugh and sing with them and even interact with them in games, live action, and animated shows, augmented reality and audio books.”
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Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square makes $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group
Ackman pitches NYSE relisting plan as UMG board weighs unsolicited offer
The hedge fund has proposed a business combination that values UMG at €30.40 per share, representing a hefty 78 per cent premium to its current trading price. The offer includes €9.4 billion in cash alongside stock in a newly formed entity, with shareholders set to receive €5.05 per share in cash and 0.77 shares in the new company for each UMG share they hold.
Under the proposal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd and re-emerge as a Nevada-based entity listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move is designed to boost investor visibility and potentially secure inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500.
Pershing Square Capital Management ceo Bill Ackman argued that while UMG’s operational performance remains strong, its market valuation has lagged due to external factors. “UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business,” Ackman said, pointing to concerns ranging from shareholder overhang to delayed US listing plans.
Ackman also flagged what he sees as untapped potential in UMG’s balance sheet and a lack of clear capital allocation strategy. He added that the market has not fully recognised the value of UMG’s €2.7 billion stake in Spotify, alongside gaps in investor communication.
The proposed transaction would also result in the cancellation of around 17 per cent of UMG’s outstanding shares, while maintaining its investment-grade balance sheet. Pershing Square has said it will fully backstop the equity financing, with debt commitments secured at signing. The deal is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
UMG, however, has struck a measured tone. The company confirmed that its board has received the non-binding proposal and will review it with advisers. It reiterated confidence in its current strategy and leadership under Lucian Grainge, signalling no immediate shift in stance.
The proposal comes at a time when global music companies are navigating evolving investor expectations, streaming economics and capital allocation pressures. For Pershing Square, the bet is clear: sharpen the financial story, relist in the US, and let the music play louder in the markets.
Whether UMG’s board is ready to change the tune remains to be seen, but the spotlight on its valuation just got a lot brighter.
