It’s just the beginning for BEGIN, a new ad-free streaming service that launched in Pakistan at the end of May. Founded by Jonathan Mark (CEO) and Zaayer Merchant (executive director), the young company behind this venture got the ball rolling in Q1 when it secured seed funding from regional venture-cap investor Z2C Limited. The team has initially been focused on marketing live sports to drive up subscriptions, but defining a strategy to capture kids is a key priority. Pakistan is the fifth most-populated country in the world, with under-14s making up roughly 40% of its 241 million inhabitants, according to 2023 census data.

Looking ahead, the plan is to expand BEGIN’s reach throughout Southwest Asia, with launches in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka set to play out later this year. And a long-term growth opportunity that Mark identified early on is to eventually target the “huge” expat communities living in Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE). Priced at US$3.60 monthly and US$36 annually for the All Entertainment Package,

BEGIN has more than 55,000 total downloads on Google Play and the Apple App Store, with kids titles accounting for roughly 35% of overall viewership, says Mark.

What is BEGIN looking for?

Focusing on acquisitions, Mark says the service is “actively seeking partnerships with major Western content distributors to enrich our initial offerings.” While “snackable” titles are the preference for preschoolers, he is also looking for shows with 20- to 30-minute episodes to appeal to bridge/tween viewers. The company is prioritizing animation over live action because of its higher cross-cultural appeal. BEGIN’s kids catalogue is franchise-heavy at the moment, primarily due to package deals with Sony Pictures Entertainment and NBCUniversal. But Mark is also open to buying lesser-known indie content, especially comedy-driven adventures showcasing characters with “emotional intelligence” and a “strong moral compass.”

The team is keen to secure exclusive regional rights, so content that’s already available on free platforms like YouTube is off the table. “Our goal is to provide exclusive and premium content that justifies the value of our platform to subscribers.” After completing another fundraising round, BEGIN plans to start investing in original kids programming down the line, in local languages including Urdu, Bengali and Sinhalese. This strategy should address what Mark sees as a significant gap when it comes to “culturally relevant” content and STEM-based programming.

Recently launched

BEGIN’s initial kids titles include feature films The Smurfs (2011) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) from Sony, and DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar 3 (2012) and tween horror series Fright Krewe (10 x 22 minutes). Mark plans to add films from franchises like Despicable Me and Hotel Transylvania soon, but no exact dates have been set. And soon-to-drop TV shows run the gamut from action-packed vintage series Jackie Chan Adventures (95 x 22 minutes, pictured) to 2024’s superhero comedy Megamind Rules! (eight x 22 minutes). Looking to build out its library even more, BEGIN is in talks with companies such as Paramount Global/Nickelodeon.

This story was originally published in Kidscreen‘s Q4 2024 magazine issue.