LAS VEGAS (May 26, 2026) — Qlay Co., the parent company behind Spy Ninjas, the longest-running, serialized narrative show on YouTube, today announced its evolution into Spy Ninjas Entertainment, a premier creator-led media company. As Spy Ninjas Entertainment, the company reaches nearly 100M fans every month through its eponymous flagship original family entertainment franchise across content, live entertainment, and other brand extensions. Under the leadership of newly appointed Spy Ninjas Studios President Shelly Soriano, the independently owned and operated company, founded by serial entrepreneurs and creators Chad Wild Clay and Vy Qwaint, is investing $25 million into scaling and accelerating its content pipeline and production capabilities, including expanding the use of its 65,000 square foot production space. This includes a commitment to hiring 50 new employees in 2026, with an emphasis on creatives with experience in serialized, narrative storytelling and other entertainment and production disciplines. The significant investment is a continued sign of the convergence of traditional Hollywood and the Creator Economy, as viewing habits shift from TV to digital platforms, with streaming now accounting for nearly 45% of TV viewership.
Soriano, who previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Jubilee Media, brings a track record of building and expanding digitally native brands. Partnering with Chief Executive Officer Qwaint and Chief Creative Officer Clay, she leads the company’s expansion into new content formats and verticals – inclusive of scripted and unscripted series, animation, FAST channels, and digital and traditional entertainment – while developing new revenue streams through strategic acquisitions and brand partnerships.
“We’re entering a new era where digital-born franchises can stand shoulder to shoulder with Hollywood’s most iconic IP,” said Spy Ninjas Studios President Shelly Soriano. “With Spy Ninjas Entertainment and Studios, we have the opportunity to redefine what a global media company looks like – one that is creator-led at its core and expands across platforms and mediums, from YouTube to animation, experiential worlds, and beyond, with the same ambition and scale as traditional studios. The next generation of blockbusters is being built not just in Hollywood, but by creators directly in conversation with their fans. We intend to help define that future.”
A central pillar of Spy Ninjas Entertainment’s multi-million dollar content investment is a new “Spy Ninjas Creative Class” program, which aims to recruit and foster a new generation of creators and storytellers across the rapidly growing Creator Economy. The hiring and training initiative grows the Spy Ninjas universe with deeper, richer stories while helping shape the next era of serialized, narrative content. The move comes during a time of disruption across the entertainment industry, where the traditional path to a career in Hollywood is not as clear as it once was. The new Spy Ninjas program hopes to capitalize on the growing career opportunities that are available to creatives in the digital entertainment ecosystem, and its unique position as one of the few serialized shows earning a massive audience on YouTube today.
“As creators, we’ve always focused on connecting authentically with our audience,” said Co-founders Vy Qwaint and Chad Wild Clay. “With Shelly at the helm, what excites us now is scaling that relationship into a true franchise – one that spans digital platforms, consumer products, and real-world experiences. It shows that a brand born on YouTube can grow into a global entertainment company.”
Blending serialized live-action episodes with successful YouTube formats has created a new genre on the platform that invites the audience to be a part of the story. Spy Ninjas is one of YouTube’s most enduring franchises, driven by its unique approach, which has driven massive scale and engagement with 47 million-plus subscribers and 18 billion lifetime views, inclusive of more than one billion views in 2025.
The franchise has already expanded into publishing, gaming, consumer products, multi-format series, and experiential entertainment. For more information about Spy Ninjas Entertainment, please visit: spyninjasentertainment.com.
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