Award-winning Studio Ramping Up Slate with New Animation and Hybrid Live Action Drama Projects
HELSINKI, 2 Sept 2020. Gutsy Animations, the studio behind the internationally celebrated Moominvalley based on the work of Tove Jansson, has added new investment partners following a recent financing round. Both the Jansson family-run firm Moomin Characters Ltd Oy, and Bulls Holding AB, parent company of Bulls Press and Rights and Brands, are taking minority stakes in the company with other private investors.
The investment comes at a time of growth for the company as it broadens its slate into non-kids scripted live action and brand new 2D animated kids’ series – both with a strong emphasis on nature and bold female characters.
"We are thrilled at the opportunity to come onboard to develop Gutsy Animations as investors. Gutsy Animations is a great fit to our cultural ecosystem which has been developed around Moomin Characters over the years. The award-winning Moominvalley is naturally one of our greatest interests but we are also looking to develop a co-operational model which would be able to scale to the authors, illustrators and other IP owners that we represent in the competitive market. Gutsy Animations’ top team complement our skills and knowledge beautifully." Roleff Kråkström, CEO of Moomin Characters Ltd Oy.
Marika Makaroff, CEO and Creative Director at Gutsy Animations says: “We are very grateful to have the support of our fantastic partners and visionary investors especially at a very exciting moment of growth, creativity and ambition for the company. Our slate has broadened to include both high quality drama and charming original animation. This exemplifies Gutsy approach and focus on bold, female-led work which draws on the magic and mythology of the natural world to challenge and inspire viewers across generations.”
For more information, please contact:
Moominvalley:
Gutsy Animations, Reetta Ranta
Press enquiries:
DDA / gutsy@ddapr.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Gutsy Animations
See Good. Be Gutsy.
We are a company who believes that the world is in need of funny, clever and meaningful content. All of our productions are aimed at international audiences with positive impact.
Septem Partners Oy
Septem Partners Oy was retained as advisor by Gutsy Animations for this transaction.
About new investors
Moomin Characters
Moomin Characters Oy Ltd is the official copyright holder of all the Moomin characters,
responsible for supervising and managing the Moomin brand, copyright and registrations. The company was founded in the 1950’s by Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson to take care of the copyright of the Moomins and is still run by family members. Sophia Jansson, Lars’ daughter and Tove’s niece, is Chairman of the Board and Creative Director at Moomin Characters. All characters from Moominvalley are trademark registered worldwide.
About Bulls Holdings AB
Bulls, founded in 1929 by the Swedish Steinsvik family, is an international content agency for
editorial, publishing and brand licensing. Bulls has worked together with the Jansson family
since the 1950’s, assisting in building the Moomin global brand. Bulls is co-founder of the
agency R&B Licensing, with the mission to bring Nordic brands and stories to a global arena.