Lion Forge Entertainment, the Oscar-winning studio behind the animated short Hair Love, has received a $30 million investment led by HarbourView Equity Partners. This funding round also includes support from the Steward Family and Polarity, who remain the majority owners of the company. The new capital will help Lion Forge grow its portfolio of intellectual property and expand its slate of premium franchises, especially in the kids, family, and young adult entertainment space.
Founded by David Steward II, Lion Forge is known for its mission to tell diverse stories in both animated and live-action formats. The studio has established a reputation for creating content that resonates with a broad audience while remaining true to authentic cultural narratives. Its recent success includes the animated series Iyanu, which has become a top-rated show on Cartoon Network and HBO Max. The series is set to continue with a second season and two feature films, all greenlit by the networks.
Lion Forge has also formed strategic partnerships with major players in the entertainment industry. These include a first-look deal with Nickelodeon, leading to projects like Marley & The Family Band with the Bob Marley Estate, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom with Simon & Schuster, and Iron Dragon with Mostapes. The studio is working with Penguin Young Readers to adapt children’s books into animated content. It has teamed up with George R. R. Martin to turn his novella A Dozen Tough Jobs into an adult animated film. Other collaborations include expanding the YouTube series Lostlings into a long-form show and developing unscripted content around Rebel Girls Sports.
HarbourView’s investment reflects its broader strategy of supporting content-driven companies across music, media, and sports. The firm, which manages over $2.67 billion in assets, has recently closed several high-profile deals, including $500 million in debt financing from KKR and an $85 million investment in Animaj, a French media company specializing in kids’ and family entertainment. HarbourView has also partnered with Westbrook Studios and others to finance a series of Hip Hop biopics, starting with a Queen Latifah film.
Lion Forge Entertainment continues to grow as one of the few Black-owned studios of scale in North America. Led by President and Chief Creative Officer Stephanie Sperber, the company is committed to building global franchises that reflect the diversity of its creators and audiences. With this new investment, Lion Forge is poised to deepen its impact in the entertainment industry and bring more inclusive stories to screens around the world.
Support: The investment was facilitated by Participant Capital. And Lion Forge Entertainment is represented by Activist Artists Management, who advised on the transaction.
KEY QUOTES:
“We believe that content has the extraordinary power to influence the world. This is a unique moment in the kids & family space and Lion Forge is seizing an opportunity to lean into its ability to tell compelling stories authentically and cultivate global franchises at scale. This synchronizes with our vision of how the next generation of multiplatform media companies can grow –by introducing fresh images, ideas and paradigms that reflect the evolving world in which we live and creating culturally authentic and socially relevant content.”
Sherrese Clarke
“Sherrese is a trailblazing investor, leading a culture-driving company. Her knowledge and track record will be immensely additive as we continue to scale our company and properties. This is a validating moment for our young company. The synergy between the shrewd investment strategy of HarbourView and the franchise-building blueprint at Lion Forge will enable us collectively to optimize opportunities at the nexus of entertainment, culture and content and grow into a category defining leader from a position of strength.”
David Steward II
“We work with incredible creators and exceptional IP, and the backing of HarbourView will allow us to develop and invest in expanding our library. Sherese and her team see what we see – an opportunity in the marketplace for premium kids, family and YA franchises, which motivates us to double down on what we believe we do best – create global content and build franchises.”
Stephanie Sperber, President and Chief Creative Officer of Lion Forge Entertainment
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source pulse2.com ’
