As part of its international expansion strategy, fully-funded through an equity raise agreed last February, the fast-growing Nordic-based streaming group has announced Wednesday its new target to reach a total of 16 territories by late 2023 and 12 million subscribers by the end of 2025.

So far the group’s streaming service Viaplay is present in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland. Its previously announced US launch is expected for later this year in the Netherlands in 2022.

The group said it had upped its 2025 total paying customers target by 2 million thanks notably to higher-than expected SVOD grow potential on the international market and an increase both in penetration and stacking.

Indeed, according to Nent, both Germany and the UK have the potential to double their SVOD subscription per household basis, standing now at 42 million and 28 million respectively. In Canada where the SVOD penetration rate is at 80%, the current 15 million households with one subscription are expected to add two more streaming services by 2025, and growth is also anticipated in Switzerland and Austria, each with 4 million streaming customers and SVOD penetration rates of 48% and 39% respectively.

Based on those positive previsions, Nent Group is anticipating a 2020-2025 compound annual organic sales growth in upper end target of approximately 18-20% for the overall group, 13-15% for the Nordic operations, and approximately 23-25% for Viaplay in the Nordics.

Commented on his group’s latest announcements, Anders Jensen, President & CEO said: “Viaplay is a proven success story, with a unique content offering and one of the world’s most flexible and scalable technology platforms. Viaplay is already our largest revenue generator, and will already account for more than half of the Group’s revenues in a couple of years’ time. We aim to be the most diverse and inclusive storyteller with our amazing range of original, acquired, local and live content that offers something special for everyone. And we take an open approach to partnering, that ensures Viaplay is available as broadly as possible. This is a unique value creation story,” he concludes.

In a previous announcement, Nent Group said its studio operations focusing primarily on delivering original content for the group, have been rebranded from Nent Studios to Viaplay Studios.

In Sweden, the group’s production labels Brain Academy and Nice Drama are into the process of merging under the name Viaplay Studios Sweden. Alexander Bastin, previously NENT Studios CEO, has been promoted to Viaplay Studios CEO, while Alexander Tanno, previously Nice Drama CEO, is the new Viaplay Studios Sweden CEO, and Helena Sandermark, previously Brain Academy CEO, has been appointed Head of Production, Viaplay Studios Sweden.

Elsewhere, Budapest-based Paprika Studios, overseeing Central & Eastern European productions across nine markets, now operates as part of Viaplay Studios while retaining its current structure and branding and will continue to work with third-party partners.

Also operating under Viaplay Studios is Viaplay Studios Animation, (previously called Nent Animation), and NENT Group’s UK-based joint venture with FilmNation Entertainment and investment in L.A-based studio Picturestart.

NENT Group is set to premiere at least 50 Viaplay Originals in 2021.

Recent commissioned originals include the Norwegian series Ida Takes Charge, season 2 of The Machinery, season 2 & 3 of Pørni, Swedish shows Partisan season 2, Honour season 3, Hammarvik seaons 3&4, Denmark’s anticipated The Kingdom Exodus by Lars von Trier and Iceland’s Stella Blómkvist season 2.​