Zinkia Entertainment

Zinkia Entertainment (or simply Zinkia) is a Spanish production company located in Madrid, Spain. Its main focus is to create animated series for TV and games, for mobile devices and for game platforms. The company has more than 100 employees and their series have been sold in more than 95 countries worldwide. Zinkia was founded in 2001 by David Cantolla López and his brother Colman López, together with José María Castillejo as a capital partner.[1]

Zinkia Entertainment
TypePrivate
IndustryAnimation
Founded2001 (2001)
FounderDavid Cantolla López
Colman López
HeadquartersMadrid,
Spain
Number of locations
1
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsPocoyo
SubsidiariesAnimaj SAS (7.99%)
WebsiteSpanish:
zinkia.com
English:
zinkia.com/en

History

In June 2006, one of its television series, Pocoyo, was awarded at the 30th International Festival of Annecy with the Cristal award for the "Best TV Series in the world"[2] and a BAFTA prize in 2006.[3]

In April 2011, Zinkia acquired a 51% majority stake in UK distributor Cake Entertainment.[4] This followed on the end of the partnership the company had with ITV Global Entertainment for the Pocoyo franchise.[5]

Zinkia Entertainment launched numerous Pocoyo spin-offs and two new animated series: the Spanish-French co-production Shuriken School [6](2006) and the pre-school Mola Noguru (2013).[7]

After a bond issue failed, the company entered the red: in 2012 it carried out an ERE that affected a third of the workforce,[8] and in 2013 it had to declare bankruptcy.[9] In July 2014, Cake Entertainment's management purchased back Zinkia's 51% stake in Cake due to Zinkia's bankruptcy.[10]

Zinkia managed to overcome this crisis thanks to Pocoyo's income, both in television rights and through its official YouTube channel.[11] In 2016, it was acquired by the Mexican businessman Miguel Valladares, and since then it has focused exclusively on TV series animation.[12]

In May 2023, Zinkia announced the sale of the Pocoyo franchise to French investment firm Animaj SAS for an undisclosed amount. The sale would include all IP rights, distribution, and licensing to the franchise but would exclude the educational portions, which Zinkia would retain. In exchange for the deal, Zinkia would acquire a 7.99% minorty stake in Animaj.[13] The deal was closed on September 20, 2023, with the franchise transferring over to its new owners on the same day.[14]

Works

References
  1. Pascual, Ángel Villarino;Alfredo (2018-11-28). "La caída del 'conde Pocoyó': "Ahora vivo en Vallecas de la caridad de mis hermanos"". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-05-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Annecy Film Festival website
  3. BAFTA website
  4. "Zinkia Buys Majority Stake in Cake Entertainment". 4 April 2011.
  5. "Zinkia and ITV sever co-distribution agreement". Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  6. "Shuriken School". Filmin.
  7. Mola Noguru (Serie de TV) (2013) (in Spanish), retrieved 2023-08-30
  8. "Zinkia, productora de Pocoyó, presenta un ERE para un tercio de su plantilla". El País (in Spanish). 2012-04-20. ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  9. Lm/agencias (2013-10-31). "La productora de Pocoyó se acoge al preconcurso de acreedores". Libre Mercado (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-07-25.
  10. "Cake Entertainment principles buy back 51% of the slice".
  11. Pascual, Ángel Villarino;Alfredo (2018-11-28). "La caída del 'conde Pocoyó': "Ahora vivo en Vallecas de la caridad de mis hermanos"". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-05-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. "Miguel Valladares, el discretísimo millonario mexicano que salvó de la quiebra a Pocoyó". Vanity Fair (in European Spanish). 2018-12-02. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  13. https://tbivision.com/2023/05/23/spains-zinkia-explores-shock-sale-of-pocoyo-to-frances-animaj-investment/
  14. https://kidscreen.com/2023/09/20/animaj-acquires-preschool-franchise-pocoyo/
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