Goldman-Backed Start-Up Acquires UK Studio
In 1867, the Manchester-based factory owned by Joseph Whitworth didn’t just produce industrial tools — it set the gold standard for precision manufacturing across Britain. Fast forward more than 150 years, and once again, Britain’s creative industries are drawing global investment. This time, it’s not steel or gears — it’s animation and digital production. Reflecting this trend, a Goldman-backed start-up acquires UK studio, signaling a major vote of confidence in the UK’s thriving creative economy.
Hidden Heroes of Animation and Storytelling
Superplastic, the US-based company backed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management among others, has officially acquired Elstree studio-based Puppet Burger, a leading creative production outfit specializing in puppet-driven animation and branded storytelling. Puppet Burger’s reputation for crafting viral content and highly stylized animation made it an attractive target for Superplastic, which is rapidly growing into a major player in the digital collectibles and entertainment space.
This acquisition underscores Superplastic’s ambitious strategy to expand beyond American borders and tap into the UK’s highly skilled creative production sector. With British animation studios gaining global recognition thanks to franchises like Wallace & Gromit and Paddington, it’s no surprise that a firm with serious financial backing sees enormous opportunity here.
Strategic Expansion Amid a Competitive Market
Superplastic’s move comes as investors increasingly look towards content creation and digital IP as high-growth sectors. The addition of Puppet Burger’s creative firepower will enable Superplastic to:
- Produce original animated series at a faster pace
- Expand its range of brand collaborations with global companies
- Push further into Europe’s lucrative entertainment markets
- Develop new proprietary characters and digital merchandise
Founded in 2018, Superplastic has already carved out a niche as a creator of vinyl toys, NFTs, and animated entertainment featuring characters like Janky and Guggimon. The company raised $20 million earlier this year from investors including Amazon’s Alexa Fund and talent agency WME. Adding a seasoned UK studio into its ranks marks the next logical step for its international plans.
The UK’s Creative Economy: A Magnet for Investment
The acquisition highlights the broader trend of international investors recognizing the strength of the UK’s creative economy, worth more than £111 billion pre-pandemic. As an industry that employs over two million people across film, television, advertising, and design, the UK remains a hotbed for innovation.
You can read the full coverage on the Financial Times website here.
What’s Next for Superplastic and Puppet Burger?
With Puppet Burger’s talented team joining forces with Superplastic, the focus will now shift towards building new content pipelines aimed at platforms like Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Netflix. Industry insiders anticipate a brand-new wave of collectible digital characters, fast-track series development, and global brand partnerships riding on the back of this acquisition.
In a world where storytelling, digital aesthetics, and collectibles collide, the Goldman-backed start-up acquires UK studio story could be just the beginning of a larger transformation in how next-gen media is created and consumed.