Moonbug

Moonbug Entertainment Limited, trading as Moonbug, is a British children's media company and multi-channel network headquartered in London, England, with an additional office in Los Angeles. Founded in 2018, it creates, acquires and distributes children's video and audio content spanning animation, live-action and puppet shows. Its catalogue is distributed on more than 100 platforms in 26 languages and includes brands such as CoComelon, Blippi, Little Baby Bum, Little Angel, My Magic Pet Morphle, Oddbods, Supa Strikas, Gecko's Garage and Mia's Magic Playground.

The company positions its programming as both entertainment and a learning tool, saying shows are developed with children's enrichment in mind and built with trained education and research experts to ensure age-appropriate content and educational value. Stated content principles include learning through play, family-centered values and playful creativity. Beyond video, Moonbug operates a games portfolio, including Blippi's Curiosity Club, CoComelon: Learn ABCs and 123s, CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ (TV), CoComelon: Play with JJ on Nintendo Switch and Netflix, Coloring with Blippi & Friends (powered by Crayola), BABY JOHN in Kiddopia, and Roblox titles Obby Bods and Find the Blippis.

Moonbug's distribution division, Moonbug Kids, carries channels on YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Amazon Prime Video, Sky UK, Joyn, Mediaset, Cignal and G Sat, Astro and OSN, including 22 main YouTube channels plus 12 additional language channels and MyGo!, which offers content in sign language. El Bebe Productions Limited, the original holder of Little Baby Bum's YouTube channel, is a subsidiary.

Founding story

Moonbug was incorporated as Project ABC Holdings Limited on 9 February 2018 in London and renamed Moonbug Entertainment later that year. It was co-founded by René Rechtman, formerly President of International at Maker Studios and head of non-linear media at The Walt Disney Company, and John Robson, former Managing Director of WildBrain with prior roles at HTC and Paramount Pictures. Rechtman has said the idea came from analysing data across the more than 50,000 YouTube channels managed at Disney, where he found that about 25% of views were kids-related and largely produced by small independent creators; after the concept did not advance internally, he left Disney, raised a large first round and set out to acquire, improve and grow those content businesses.

Business model

Moonbug builds and monetises a portfolio of children's IP by acquiring and developing content brands and distributing them across YouTube, subscription and free ad-supported streaming platforms, broadcast television, podcasts, music, licensed merchandise and games. The founding thesis, as described by its CEO, was a "360-degree approach" to acquiring independent kids' content creators and scaling their franchises. Adjacent revenue lines come from publishing and video game rights (a North American arrangement with United Talent Agency), music distribution, publishing and licensing (Universal Music Group for Moonbug Music), and licensed-property series such as Care Bears: Unlock the Music, Let's Go Cozy Coupe and Squishville.

Revenue derives from content distribution and licensing across digital video platforms, streaming and broadcast partners, FAST channels, music publishing and licensing, podcasts, consumer products and apps/games. Reported revenue was GBP 39.6 million (about US$53.8 million) in 2020.

Traction

Little Baby Bum had more than 23 billion global views when acquired in 2018, and CoComelon has been reported at about 1.5 billion YouTube plays in a single month. Programming is available on over 100 platforms in 26 languages, with 22 main YouTube channels and 12 additional language channels under Moonbug Kids. Revenue was GBP 39.6 million (about US$53.8 million) in 2020, and headcount was approximately 309 in 2021. The company was sold to Candle Media in a deal reported at $3 billion.

Latest developments

Moonbug's newsroom in 2026 highlighted a Blippi Year of Vehicles special, "Super Silly Vehicle Race," premiering 15 August 2026; the return of CoComelon's The Melon Patch to YouTube on 23 July 2026 with new "Music & Me with Ms. Appleberry" performances; and June 2026 research on parental guilt among fathers. Current promoted titles include Emmie's Wonder Wardrobe, a new series from the Little Angel world, The Melon Patch, Blippi's Job Show and CoComelon Lane Season 7. Its Blippi's Curiosity Club app added a vehicle sandbox game, sticker scenes, coloring sheets, themed Blippi calls and ad-free videos.