Cineverse and Banyan Ventures announced the launch of MicroCo. A 50/50 joint venture between the two companies, MicroCo will be the first U.S.-based studio and AI native platform built specifically for high-quality Microseries: serialized, short-form, mobile-first content specifically designed for modern viewing habits. The consumer-facing name of the soon-to-launch platform will be announced at a later date. Commonly known as "Microdramas", this vertical format has exploded internationally, becoming a $7 billion+ market in China alone and generating hundreds of millions of views. Despite there being no premium U.S.-based platform for this content, Microdrama Apps have dominated app store Entertainment rankings.
MicroCo sets itself apart with a leadership team that combines world-class storytelling expertise with cutting-edge, proprietary technology, targeting the untapped potential of a market projected to reach $10 billion outside of China by 2027. MicroCo will produce low-cost, high-quality content and deliver it directly to genre-driven audiences with an AI native platform built to foster and engage passionate fan communities. As technology evolves, MicroCo is built to evolve with it, adapting quickly, integrating smartly, and always guided by human creativity. In addition to producing original Microseries, MicroCo will collaborate with today's most compelling content creators to support them in expanding their creative footprint, giving them new ways to tell stories and deepen connections with their audiences.
"The average person scrolls through hundreds of feet of content a day, but almost none of it is built to last," said Braun. "We're merging the storytelling rigor of series television with the pace, energy, and intimacy of short-form—creating addictive, emotionally rich, quality series that are developed specifically for this format and speak directly to how people consume content now."
Said Cineverse Chairman and CEO Chris McGurk, added. "MicroCo will combine a new style of storytelling that engages fans and creators alike, with state-of-the-art technology that we have spent years developing, and an elite leadership team that includes some of our generation's most successful media and content executives. The end result will be a category defining studio and platform. Early results in the space have underscored the massive strategic upside of this new format, including the opportunity to build an original IP engine with global monetization opportunities, to integrate brand partnerships, and support a robust creator economy flywheel."
MicroCo's original Microseries, running approximately 1–3 minutes per episode and designed for binge-watching, aims to expand upon the currently available short-form content that has made vertical scrolling ubiquitous. It will span multiple genres, from romance to horror, and will feature both live action and animated series. "As viewing habits shift towards fast, social, and mobile-first experiences, our Microseries will deliver high-impact storytelling meant to be shared," said Winograde. "Whether it's leaning into genre or the creator community, we have the tools to meet fans in their native ecosystems and pull them into this new format and platform built just for them."
MicroCo is AI-native from day one. Its technology backbone will drive creator enablement, including tools, templates, and analytics to streamline storytelling. Intelligent discovery and personalization for fans, designed to help them find programming that matches their mood and interests; and revenue diversification, with MicroCo exploring varied revenue models, including a mix of advertising, in-app transactions and other premium options for superfans. "While the need for great stories never changes, viewing habits do, and microdramas have proven that short-form storytelling can attract and engage an audience," added Rovner. "But what's been missing is the quality, creative passion, and fun that our team will bring to this format."
MicroCo's deep integration with Cineverse provides significant strategic advantages:
- Tech stack leadership: Matchpoint™, the AI-powered streaming infrastructure, driven by Cineverse India's 100-plus person engineering team, and developed over several years, supports fast, efficient content delivery and the ability to quickly launch a streaming platform built for scale;
- Massive data engine: of more than two million titles, including proprietary AI-generated metadata, enabling smart discovery and curation;
- Expansive library: 71,000+ assets, including films, series, and podcasts—some of which may be adapted into Microseries;
Fandom reach: 150M+ fans across genres including horror and sci-fi (Screambox, Midnight Pulp, BloodyDisgusting.com), anime and Asian entertainment (RetroCrush, AsianCrush), true crime (Crime Hunters), and romance (Dove Channel); and
- Proven marketing machine: Cineverse's "Moneyball" approach turned Terrifier 3 into a $90M global box office success on a sub-$1M marketing spend, thanks to the ability to leverage its top 10 podcast network, FAST channels, social media, C360 ad network and more.
"By bringing Hollywood best practices to a global format that's taken off in Asia—but hasn't been cracked in the U.S.—we believe MicroCo is uniquely positioned to lead this space," said Opeka. "The tech, the talent, the timing—it all lines up."
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