Zigazoo and Wheelhouse are building a “launchpad for ambitious young talent”

Through Zigazoo, kids and teens can explore a social media environment that’s safe and age-appropriate. Three years after launching that space, Zigazoo has attracted some young creators who are destined for bigger things, and it plans to help them realize their dreams.

In tandem with Wheelhouse, the media company co-founded by producer Brent Montgomery and TV host Jimmy Kimmel, Zigazoo is launching an entertainment venture titled Zigazoo Studios. Through original content, live programming, consumer products, and brand deals, Zigazoo Studios will open up doors for some of the biggest names on the titular platform.

As reported by Variety, Zigazoo Studios will be a “launchpad for ambitious young talent” that will help Gen Alpha tastemakers “build enduring brands and sustainable careers both on and off the platform.” Wheelhouse has sold shows to a variety of distributors across TV, streaming, and digital. One of its best-known projects is the documentary America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which just dropped its third season on Netflix.

Wheelhouse, a longtime Zigazoo backer, also has ample experience in the creator world. Through ventures like DNA and Additive Creative, the media company has connected with some of the best-known stars across major social platforms. In 2022, it opened a large meeting space dedicated to digital creators and their careers.

Zigazoo, meanwhile, has used multiple strategies to court creators. It onboarded influencers in 2023 as part of its plan to appeal to Gen Z. Then, just last month, Zigazoo sent a trio of “Junior Correspondents

” to VidCon. By giving upstarts the chance to cover an enduring creator gathering, Zigazoo began to identify young voices who are eager to get their work out in the open.

Building expansive IP alongside kids and teens won’t be so simple. All across the world, national governments are limiting social media access for under-18s. The consensus among those authorities is that platforms like Instagram and TikTok are unsafe for vulnerable young users.

Zigazoo’s leaders, however, see their upcoming programming push as something that can fit into current regulations. Zigazoo Studios plans to build IP that will be trustworthy and sustainable for kids and their parents.

“As Gen Alpha increasingly shapes culture, consumer behavior, and digital communities, Zigazoo Studios will identify, nurture, and scale the next generation of creator talent while providing young creators and their families with access to the infrastructure traditionally reserved for established talent,” reads a statement from Zigazoo and Wheelhouse. “At a time when the creator economy is evolving and lawmakers in countries like the U.K. and Australia have already moved to restrict social media access for minors, with similar legislation gaining momentum in the U.S., the demand for safe, positive digital experiences for kids has never been greater.”

Zigazoo Studios will begin rolling out its projects “later this year.” Its first offerings will be revealed at an industry event hosted at Wheelhouse’s Los Angeles headquarters.