Skybound Entertainment expands its universe with Maple Media acquisition - Related to hownow, its, curbs, bank, edtech
London-based edtech HowNow raises £7.5m Series A
AI-powered learning and skills platform HowNow has completed its Series A funding having raised a total of £[website] The round was led by Mercia Ventures and Pearson in February 2023, following previous investment from the two in 2023.
Headquartered in London, the learning and knowledge management system is designed to help businesses and teams upskill, share knowledge, and access relevant learning resources efficiently. Essentially, it helps organizations create a smarter, more accessible way for teams to learn and share knowledge while improving productivity.
Its total funding to date is over £10M, with the majority of this investment being used to drive product development and continued AI integration. Clients include TomTom, MoneyBox, Bausch & Lomb, UKTV, and Good Energy, as well as partnering with Pearson to deliver the UK Government's Learning and Skills Platform.
Nelson Sivalingam, Co-Founder & CEO at HowNow, commented: “With this funding, we’re not just doubling down on our commitment to upskill 10 million people by 2030 - we’re making it happen. Learning isn't about endless courses and hours logged; it is about the progress you can see, the skills you can use, and the growth you can measure.
"We’re here to change the way the world learns - connecting the dots between learning, skills, and real impact for people and organisations alike.”.
In 2023, the UK's EdTech market was valued at approximately $[website] and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 10 percent from 2023 to 2028.
While Awfis’ shares have delivered a negative return of [website] over the last month at the current market price, it has lost [website] over the last year.
Nate Pacyga had a big thought inside a cathedral, where he saw donors credited by their support of the Bath Abbey in the United Kingdom. He wondered w......
Skybound Entertainment expands its universe with Maple Media acquisition
Skybound Entertainment, the multiplatform studio behind global franchises like The Walking Dead and hundreds of additional IP, showcased the acquisition of Maple Media from Shamrock Capital.
Maple Media is a leader in mobile app publishing and boasts a diverse portfolio of “Top 10” apps across productivity, entertainment, and lifestyle categories which has generated over 600 million lifetime downloads.
Acquisitions are becoming the norm in gaming. But this is the kind of thing you can do if you own The Walking Dead franchise, which debuted as a comic book by creator Robert Kirkman in 2003. It is the most successful original entertainment franchise created this century, according Hernan Lopez, founder of Owl & Co. Skybound also owns Impact Winter and Invincible.
The games alone have generated more than $1 billion in revenues, and the Netlix show drew [website] billion viewing hours in 2023, Lopez noted in an interview with GamesBeat. And during that year it was the third-most watched TV series — 13 years after the TV show launched. In 2010, Kirkman started Skybound Entertainment with David Alpert.
The Walking Dead is the monster of entertainment IP.
Additionally, partnering with Maple Media facilitates a direct relationship between Skybound and consumers, enhancing Skybound’s ability to bring incredible content directly from creators to fans.
Maple Media’s expertise in mobile app operations and optimization supports Skybound’s mission to deliver compelling stories across every platform and medium, from comics and games to television, mobile devices and beyond.
“Bringing Maple Media into the Skybound universe is a game-changer,” mentioned David Alpert, CEO of Skybound Entertainment, in a statement. “This enables us to fluidly connect our great IP directly to our audience. We look forward to building and expanding these opportunities with Michael Ritter, Founder and CEO, David Bos, COO, and the rest of the Maple Media team, as the partnership strengthens our ability to connect content directly to audiences like never before. Together, we’re unlocking new ways to deliver for our creators and fans while staying true to our mission of putting them first.”.
By integrating Maple Media’s team, experienced entertainment industry executives, and its robust suite of tools, Skybound is positioned to scale its mobile presence while exploring new entertainment applications, leveraging Maple Media’s podcast, game, and content distribution capabilities, among others.
“We’re thrilled to join the Skybound Entertainment family and bring our expertise in mobile apps to a business that shares our passion for engaging and meaningful content,” expressed Michael Ritter, CEO and founder of Maple Media, in a statement. “This partnership not only strengthens Maple Media’s ability to scale and innovate but also opens up exciting new opportunities to integrate Skybound’s iconic IP into the mobile space. Together, we look forward to creating unique, impactful experiences for millions of individuals worldwide.”.
Skybound is the creator-driven, fan-focused corporation behind landmark global franchises like The Walking Dead, Invincible, Impact Winter and hundreds more IPs that are redefining entertainment through its Wheel of Awesome business model.
Skybound unlocks the unique opportunity to cultivate all aspects of a franchise from development through distribution; our IP connects with audiences through groundbreaking stories told on a grand scale. We empower our creators to directly expand their IP and turn their ideas into movies, TV demonstrates, tabletop games, comics, podcasts, collectibles, video games, or all of the above and then some.
Shamrock Capital is a Los Angeles-based investment firm with approximately $[website] billion of assets under management. Shamrock Capital invests exclusively in media, entertainment, communications, and related sectors through a multi-fund strategy centered on private equity investments, as well as ownership and financing of content and media rights. The firm was originally founded in 1978 as the family investment enterprise for the late Roy E. Disney and has since evolved into an institutionally backed firm with a leading group of investors, including endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth and pension funds.
I asked Alpert some questions. In a message, he revealed, there are 150 people at Skybound and 24 at Maple Media. How many people altogether at skybound?
Maple Media was founded in 2016 with the goal of acquiring, managing, and scaling mobile apps across gaming, productivity, and Lifestyle categories. The enterprise specializes in optimizing established apps with strong user bases, enhancing monetization strategies, and driving long-term growth through operational efficiencies and data-driven improvements. Their approach focuses on maintaining and improving app performance while leveraging ad revenue, subscriptions, and in-app purchases.
I wondered if they made games. Alpert noted Maple Media operates mobile games in the casual, action, and social casino genres, in addition to podcast and other entertainment lifestyle mobile apps.
“Our acquisition was driven by the opportunity to strengthen Skybound’s direct-to-consumer (DtC) connection, expand cross-monetization and annual recurring revenue (ARR) potential, and further world-building opportunities for Skybound’s IP,” Alpert noted.
He noted, “Maple Media will support user acquisition while also providing strategic benefits in technology ownership, monetization, and direct-to-consumer engagement—much like our approach with creators.”.
Disclosure: I have family working at Skybound.
For the full calendar year 2024, Freshworks reported a net loss of $[website] Mn, down 31% from $[website] Mn in 2023.
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RBI Lifts Curbs On Kotak Mahindra Bank Onboarding Customers Online
RBI also underlined that the bank has undergone an external audit to validate these compliances.
RBI noted that the bank has taken measures to address the erstwhile flagged supervisory concerns.
This comes after the RBI in April last year decided to cease and desist Kotak Mahindra Bank from onboarding new consumers.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mentioned it has lifted restrictions on Kotak Mahindra Bank, allowing the lender to resume onboarding new end-clients through online channels and issuing new credit cards.
This comes after the RBI in April last year decided to cease and desist Kotak Mahindra Bank from onboarding new end-customers through its online and mobile banking channels. Besides, the central bank also barred it from issuing fresh credit cards.
RBI noted that the bank has taken measures to address the erstwhile flagged supervisory concerns and submitted compliances to it. RBI also underlined that the bank has undergone an external audit to validate these compliances.
In a statement conveyed today (February 12), the central bank expressed, “The bank also commissioned an external Audit, with prior approval of RBI, to validate the compliances. Now, having satisfied itself based on the submissions, and remedial measures undertaken by the bank, the Reserve Bank, has decided to lift the afore-mentioned restrictions placed on Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited.”.
It is pertinent to note that RBI then barred the bank, citing concerns following its IT examination of the bank and the latter’s “continued” failure to address these concerns in a comprehensive and timely manner.
“Serious deficiencies and non-compliances were observed in the areas of IT inventory management, patch and change management, user access management, vendor risk management, data security and data leak prevention strategy, business continuity and disaster recovery rigour and drill,” the RBI then noted.
RBI has been increasing its scrutiny of banks and financial institutions over the years. Last year we also witnessed the central bank’s crackdown on Paytm, ceasing Paytm Payments Bank’s operations by March 15. The reasons attributed included persistent compliance issues and supervisory concerns, including violations of customer due diligence rules.
In 2020, the RBI notified similar restrictions on HDFC Bank, barring the latter from launching its forthcoming digital business-generating activities and from sourcing new credit card end-individuals. However, this restriction on HDFC Bank were lifted almost two years later in 2022.
While the central bank’s clutch on scrutiny is evident, it has at the same time also taken numerous measures to more effective regulate the fast-growing digital banking and lending space.
Most lately, in its monetary policy meeting on February 7, the central bank revealed rolling out an , ‘[website]’, for Indian banks to combat financial fraud.
In 2023, RBI showcased digital lending guidelines aimed towards consumer protection, data security, and supervision of unlicensed technology partners involved in lending. In September 2024, it issued a framework for self-regulatory organizations (SROs) in the fintech sector to promote transparency, accountability, and consumer protection.
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Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.0% | 14.4% | 15.2% | 16.8% | 17.8% | 18.3% | 18.5% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16.8% | 17.5% | 18.2% | 18.5% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Transformation | 31% | 22.5% |
| IoT Solutions | 24% | 19.8% |
| Blockchain | 13% | 24.9% |
| AR/VR Applications | 18% | 29.5% |
| Other Innovations | 14% | 15.7% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Amazon Web Services | 16.3% |
| Microsoft Azure | 14.7% |
| Google Cloud | 9.8% |
| IBM Digital | 8.5% |
| Salesforce | 7.9% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The London Based Edtech landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the digital innovation sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing digital innovation challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of digital innovation evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the security threats and defensive measures discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
platform intermediate
fintech intermediate
API beginner
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