The next focusIR Investor Webinar takes places on 14th May with guest speakers from Blue Whale Growth Fund, Taseko Mines, Kavango Resources and CQS Natural Resources fund. Please register here.

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksFFWD.L Regulatory News (FFWD)

  • There is currently no data for FFWD

Watchlists are a member only feature

Login to your account

Alerts are a premium feature

Login to your account

Further Investment in Yooya

15 Feb 2016 13:26

RNS Number : 0979P
FastForward Innovations Limited
15 February 2016
 

15 February 2016

 

 

FastForward Innovations Limited

("FastForward" or the "Company")

Further US$1 Million Investment in ChineseVideo Distribution Network Yooya Media

Investment takes FastForward interest to 15%

 

Highlights

 

Further to the announcement by FastForward on 11 January 2016 the Company is pleased to announce that it has exercised the option granted to it on 11 January 2016 and subscribed for an additional US$1 million of new shares in BVI incorporated private company Entertainment Direct Asia Ltd. ("Yooya"), an online video distribution network with subsidiaries in Hong Kong and China trading under the brand "Yooya Media" (together, the "Yooya Group"), which provides licensing and management services for video rights owners and leading content providers in the People's Republic of China. The Company has now invested a total of US$1.9 million in Yooya and owns 15 per cent. of Yooya issued shares (on a fully diluted basis). This investment completes the Yooga Group's initial $3m Series Seed Fundraising although FastForward is pleased to note that, following discussions with Yooya, this has now been increased to US$4 million to allow for a potential investment by a strategic partner prior to 10 April 2016.

Commenting on the investment, FastForward Chief Executive Officer Mr. Lorne Abony noted:

"China is the world's second largest economy behind the United States. The Chinese entertainment industry experienced tremendous growth and monetization in 2015 and is expected to surpass the US market in the first half of 2016. Yooya is very well positioned to be at the forefront of this growth. Yooya's target market, the Chinese millennial, is large, lucrative and pre-disposed to consume and pay for online video content.

Yooya is growing at a staggering rate and has started 2016extremely strong. It is executing its near term strategy to grow the number of great Chinese content creators in its network in 2016, as well as increasing the number of international content partners. We agree with Yooya's management that this is the right strategy to grow its business while erecting barriers to entry and a sustainable competitive advantage. With the additional capital Yooya will continue to focus on building its tech platform, growing its sales organization and infrastructure and advancing its mission to monetize the online video space in China

In our view, Yooya's current achievements make the pre-money value under the option very attractive and therefore we believe now is the right time to exercise our option. We anticipate that Yooya will become on of the leading multi-platform network in China, thanks to their visionary technology-driven approach to connecting video platforms, rights owners, and advertisers, and their strong management team."

Yooya Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rick Myers was pleased FastForward have exercised its option:

"We believe that in FastForward Yooya has a perfect partner for its business, and we are delighted they have taken up their option to invest a further US$1 million. We, the management of Yooya, have demonstrated that we can deliver on and exceed the business including now recording an average of 200 million views per month, the signing of multiple new distribution deals with additional strategic partners, and the successful rollout of new versions of our video adtech solutions, will continue over the next year and beyond."

Details of the Subscription

 

The Company has subscribed for 14,345 Series Seed Shares of Yooya ("Yooya Shares") at a price of US$69.71 per Yooya Share (the "Yooya Subscription"), for total cash consideration of US$1,000,000 (the "Consideration"). The Company has the right to appoint one director to the Board of Yooya (for a period of not less than 12 months, or for such longer period as the Company holds an interest of greater than 10 per cent. of Yooya issued shares). Following the Company's investment of US$900,000 on 11 January 20016 Mr Lorne Abony, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, was appointed as the nominee director of the Company.

The Company's investment formed part of Yooya's "Series Seed Fundraising" co-led by FastForward and Dream Incubator Inc. of Tokyo, Japan ("Dream Incubator"). The Series Seed Fundraising was previously capped at US$3 million (which sum has now been raised following the Yooya Subscription), but following discussions with Yooya this cap has now been increased to US$4 million to allow for a potential investment by a strategic partner prior to 10 April 2016.

Following completion of the Yooya Subscription Yooya has a post-money market capitalisation of approximately US$13.0 million (at the US$69.71 per share subscription price).

About the Yooya Group

China already has three times more online video users than the US and half a billion smart phone users.

Yooya is one of China's fastest growing online video distribution networks. The Yooya Group provides distribution as well as licensing and rights management services in China across all major online video platforms. By offering a 1-stop solution to manage, market, and monetize online video across all platforms, Yooya is building the market-leading platform for content owners and advertisers to gain maximum value from online video in China.

The Yooya Group has already signed deals with 16 of the country's leading online video platforms, including Youku, Tudou, Baidu-owned iQiyi, Sina, and Sohu among others. It also boasts more than 3.6 billion lifetime video views, hundreds of channels, partnerships with leading international content owners, and a growing network of influential Chinese content creators.

The market for online video in China is growing rapidly and Yooya believes there is a real and immediate need for better distribution, rights management, and advertising solutions in order to effectively reach Chinese consumers of online video. In particular, Yooya seeks to provide advertisers and content owners with better data to improve monetization of their content, and solutions that enable brands to better target influential and growing consumer groups.

 

Yooya is led by CEO, Rick Myers, previously head of OS Group at Apple Asia and GM of Cisco Asia Internet Appliance Division whist the remaining Yooya management team boasts significant experience in the media and entertainment industries with key executives previously working at Sony, Sina, China Mobile, and other leading companies.

 

For the nine months ended 31 October 2015, Yooya had revenue of US$153,000 and incurred a trading loss of US$622,789 for the period. As at 31 October 2015, Yooya had total net liabilities of US$566,758.

 

For further information regarding Yooya please visit its website at www.edirect.asia.

For further information please visit www.fstfwd.co or contact:

FastForward Innovations Limited Tel: +44 1481 810 100 Elysium Fund Management Limited

Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nomad) Tel: +44 (0) 207 628 3396 James Biddle / Michael Cornish

Peterhouse Corporate Finance Limited (Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 0930 Guy Miller / Lucy Williams

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

The AIM Market of London Stock Exchange plc does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential values, the future plans and objectives of FastForward Innovations Ltd. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, achievable or recognizable in the near term.

Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. FastForward Innovations assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
MSCBXGDDUDBBGLU
Date   Source Headline
12th Jul 20216:15 pmRNSUpdate on timetable for Change of Name
9th Jul 20214:00 pmRNSResult of EGM and Change of Name
7th Jul 20217:00 amRNSFurther Investment in South West Brands Limited
6th Jul 20217:00 amRNSInvestment in cannabis healthcare company- CiiTECH
5th Jul 20217:00 amRNSNew investment - European medical cannabis company
28th Jun 20217:30 amRNSSale of Shares in Portage Biotech
28th Jun 20217:00 amRNSFurther Investment in Little Green Pharma Ltd
22nd Jun 20213:30 pmRNSNotice of EGM & Proposed Change of Name
22nd Jun 20213:00 pmRNSInvestee Company Update: Little Green Pharma Ltd
10th Jun 20217:00 amRNSPurchase of further shares in Little Green Pharma
1st Jun 20217:00 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Wellness Inc.
28th May 20217:00 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Little Green Pharma
29th Apr 20217:00 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Wellness
12th Apr 20219:00 amRNSSpecialist Appointed to Strengthen Team
7th Apr 20214:25 pmRNSCompletion of Sale of Investment in EMMAC
1st Apr 20217:00 amRNSNew Investment in Cannabis Cultivator Company
22nd Mar 20213:26 pmRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Wellness
18th Mar 20211:55 pmRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Wellness Inc.
15th Mar 20217:00 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Leap Gaming
11th Mar 20218:00 amRNSSale of Investments in Kanabo and Cellular Goods
10th Mar 20217:00 amRNSConditional Sale of Investment in EMMAC
8th Mar 202110:21 amRNSInvestee Update: Portage Biotech & Juvenescence
3rd Mar 20217:00 amRNSNew Corporate Presentation
2nd Mar 20212:06 pmRNSInvestee Update: EMMAC Life Sciences and Yooma
1st Mar 20217:00 amRNSNew Investment in Consumer Cannabinoid Company
26th Feb 20214:30 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
26th Feb 20214:30 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
26th Feb 20217:15 amRNSInvestor Presentation
26th Feb 20217:00 amRNSCorporate Update
23rd Feb 20214:40 pmRNSSecond Price Monitoring Extn
23rd Feb 20214:35 pmRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
22nd Feb 20218:15 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
18th Feb 20212:05 pmRNSSecond Price Monitoring Extn
18th Feb 20212:00 pmRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
18th Feb 20219:37 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Little Green Pharma Ltd
16th Feb 20212:00 pmRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
16th Feb 202112:20 pmRNSInvestment in Medical Cannabis Company
12th Feb 20217:00 amRNSNew Investment in Medical Cannabis Business
11th Feb 20213:44 pmRNSInvestee Company Update: Portage Biotech Inc.
11th Feb 202110:33 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Corp.
2nd Feb 202111:09 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Leap Gaming
1st Feb 20217:00 amRNSInvestment - CBD Brand Business, South West Brands
29th Jan 202110:40 amRNSPlacing to raise £2.1 million
26th Jan 20214:12 pmRNSInvestee Company Update: EMMAC Life Sciences
26th Jan 20212:14 pmRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Corp.
20th Jan 202112:00 pmRNSInvestee Update: EMMAC Life Sciences & Yooma Corp.
16th Dec 20207:00 amRNSFurther Investment in EMMAC Life Sciences Group
10th Dec 20207:00 amRNSInterim Results
30th Nov 20207:00 amRNSEd McDermott Appointed to the Board of Leap Gaming
24th Nov 20207:00 amRNSInvestee Company Update: Yooma Corp.

Due to London Stock Exchange licensing terms, we stipulate that you must be a private investor. We apologise for the inconvenience.

To access our Live RNS you must confirm you are a private investor by using the button below.

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.

Quickpicks are a member only feature

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.