Everyone knows streaming providers’ regular methods for making more cash: get extra subscribers, cost these subscribers more cash, and promote advertisements. However science streaming service Curiosity Stream is taking a brand new route that might reshape how streaming firms, particularly area of interest choices, attempt to survive.
Discovery Channel founder John Hendricks launched Curiosity Stream in 2015. The streaming service prices $40 per 12 months, and it doesn’t have commercials.
The streaming enterprise has grown to additionally embrace the Curiosity Channel TV channel. CuriosityStream Inc. additionally makes cash by authentic programming and its Curiosity College instructional programming. The agency turned its first constructive web revenue in its fiscal Q1 2025, after a few decade of enterprise.
With its deal with science, historical past, analysis, and schooling, Curiosity Stream will at all times be a smaller participant in comparison with different streaming providers. As of March 2023, Curiosity Stream had 23 million subscribers, a paltry consumer base in comparison with Netflix’s 301.6 million (as of January 2025).
Nonetheless, in an especially aggressive market, Curiosity Stream’s income elevated 41 % 12 months over 12 months in its Q3 2025 earnings introduced this month. This was largely as a result of licensing of Curiosity Stream’s authentic programming to coach massive language fashions (LLMs).
“Taking a look at our year-to-date numbers, licensing generated $23.4 million by September, which … is already over half of what our subscription enterprise generated for all of 2024,” Phillip Hayden, Curiosity Stream’s CFO, stated throughout a name with traders this month.
To date, Curiosity Stream has accomplished 18 AI-related fulfillments “throughout video, audio, and code belongings” with 9 companions, an October announcement stated.
The corporate expects to make extra income from IP licensing offers with AI firms than it does from subscriptions by 2027, “probably earlier,” CEO Clint Stinchcomb stated in the course of the earnings name.
