91. We Are Colony

Founder: Sarah Tierney
Founded: February 2013 (launched February 2015)
Website: www.wearecolony.com

A second Startups 100 entry in as many years, film streaming service We Are Colony allows film buffs to gain exclusive access to areas unseen on standard film sites.

So much more than your average Netflix or Amazon Prime, Colony allows users to stream not just feature films – but a whole host of exclusive extras including stills, deleted scenes, interviews, biographies, original scripts, reviews and more.

Film junkies can access We Are Colony on both mobile and browser and can rent or buy film bundles via a pay-as-you-go model or a traditional transaction.

Founded by Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Sarah Tierney, who’s also a member of the British Screen Advisory Council; Tierney combined her experience as a producer of film and television with an understanding of the massive disruption affecting film distribution and consumer content behaviours.

Keen to replace many of the additional extras and bonus footage now lost with the decline in popularity of DVDs, Tierney wasn’t alone in her desire to watch more than just the finished product.

Not just attracting a legion of fans, Tierney’s venture has also attracted the attention of some high-profile investors including Seedcamp, Firestartr, and the London Co-Investment Fund. In February 2016, tennis star Andy Murray invested on the platform via Seedrs.

With registered users from more than 130 countries across the globe, 100 of which are paying – We Are Colony’s success in the face of large corporate competitors is a classic underdog story.