When we are in front of the television, many times, actions that seem easy become impossible. You want to record a program you couldn't watch. You want to watch a series but you don't know which platform it's on. And, most importantly, you don't want to get lost among the infinity of content that can now be watched on television. These are some of the functionalities that Agile TV solves, with the aim of making the new television consumption simpler, which has nothing to do with the television we grew up with. Agile TV is the pay television platform of Agile Content, a Barcelona-based technology group that develops software applications for the production and distribution of all types of content and services. With more than 200,000 subscribers, Agile TV is the platform chosen by operators such as MásMóvil.
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Agile Content has telecommunications operators as its main clients and is focused on becoming "much more" than a traditional provider and being a technological partner for these companies, playing a relevant role in the television industry. The CEO of Agile Content, HernanScapusio, explains that, after many years working in the sector, fortunately, on-demand and Internet television is increasingly better understood and, now, with the pandemic, it has become massive. And Scapusio points out that this is evidenced by its turnover, which has grown by 75% year-on-year this first semester, to 9.25 million euros, and the subscribers who are joining Agile TV.
Covid-19 has served to accelerate the adoption of this new television model. "In some way, it has helped to accelerate the maturation of consumption habits that have been around for a long time and did not start now. But, with the pandemic, we have gained a year and a half of acceleration of these trends," defends the executive. And it is that, with the confinement, people have spent much more time at home and have opted to consume much more content. "The overall is clearly positive and we are one of the companies that, in post-pandemic, have to capitalize on this new context," he points out. In addition, it has become evident that this new television was not a matter of adoption by age or by profiles closer to technology and has become massive.
Created in 2007, Agile Content began working for TV3 and TVE and accumulated experience in the world of television. But, very soon, they realized the difficulties that derive from one of the main factors that condition the media: advertising. That is why they ended up evolving towards pay television through subscriptions. "It's a healthier model and financially it's much more solid and more recurrent," Scapusio remarks.
Covid-19 as an opportunity
The coronavirus has also contributed to Agile Content's desire to continue growing by acquiring companies in the sector, many of them facing difficulties due to the crisis. Thus, the technology company plans to carry out more operations similar to the public acquisition offer (OPA) it has just launched on the Swedish Edgeware AB in the coming years, focusing on Europe. Its CEO explains that for some time they have detected that there are possibilities to consolidate companies in the sector, both due to geographical and technological factors. "There are still companies in the value chain that are very complementary," he explains.
To add new projects to the company, Scapusio values that different factors come into play, such as business opportunities that may arise, their financing capacity ---taking into account that their shareholders support them--- and integration rhythms. "We don't have to rush, but our idea is to do more operations," the executive remarks. The strategy of the Barcelona-based technology company is part of its desire to move towards a less fragmented European market with larger companies, in line with what exists in the United States and China, with major global technology leaders.
Scapusio relates the OPA on the Swedish Edgeware to the IPO on BME Growth, the former MAB (Alternative Stock Market), which Agile Content made five years ago. "For us, organic growth is what gives meaning to the business model, but the opportunity to grow through acquisitions and accelerate growth is important and is linked to the desire to be on the Stock Exchange and to want to lead this process and not be a passive player and wait to be bought," he maintains.
Regarding the takeover bid for Edgeware, the CEO of Agile Content emphasizes that it has been "very friendly" and defends the great complementarity that exists between both companies, in terms of technology, human team, and the companies they work for. In addition, the takeover bid will allow them to provide coverage in northern Europe: "The Barcelona-Stockholm axis can be very interesting," he assures.