‘Kid-safe’ ads platform SuperAwesome raises $13m to build YouTube rival

KidTech firm SuperAwesome has raised $13 million in investment as it looks to launch a new ads-based video on demand service aimed at young audiences.

The new video platform will host children and family-oriented content targeted at the seven-to-12 age group.

Tall order

SuperAwesome thinks it can take on YouTube in the young audience category, given the latter company’s apparent “design as an adult platform”.

YouTube has come under fire over the years for the controversial videos it hosts, sometimes delivered to unsuitable age groups.

SuperAwesome added that its new platform would offer tools for safe engagement and monetisation.

“There is a huge requirement for a dedicated platform focused on the needs of family YouTubers and influencers who have very large under-13 audiences but simply can’t be serviced by YouTube because of its design as an adult platform,” said SuperAwesome CEO Dylan Collins (pictured, main).

SuperAwesome offers a number of tools for companies to advertise and monetise in a manner regarded as safe for children across platforms. Its services include Kidfluencer, which helps brands navigate YouTube and find kid-friendly creators to work with, and AwesomeAds, an ad platform built specifically for the kids sector.

Revenue for the company grew 75 per cent last year, hitting a run-rate of nearly $60 million.

The funding round was led by Harbert European Growth Capital.