<article>European entertainment company <a style="color: #000080;" href="https://corporate.sky.com/" target="_blank">Sky plc </a>has entered a strategic partnership with <a style="color: #000080;" href="http://www.catchagroup.com/" target="_blank">Catcha Group&#8217;s</a><a style="color: #000080;" href="https://www.iflix.com/#miHydo56pim8L3cS.97" target="_blank"> iflix</a>, investing $45 million in the Southeast Asia streaming TV service.</article>

European entertainment company <a style="color: #000080;" href="https://corporate.sky.com/" target="_blank">Sky plc </a>has entered a strategic partnership with <a style="color: #000080;" href="http://www.catchagroup.com/" target="_blank">Catcha Group&#8217;s</a><a style="color: #000080;" href="https://www.iflix.com/#miHydo56pim8L3cS.97" target="_blank"> iflix</a>, investing $45 million in the Southeast Asia streaming TV service.
Indonesian company <a href="http://www.emtek.co.id/" target="_blank">Emtek Group</a>, through its subsidiary <a href="http://scm.co.id/" target="_blank">Surya Citra Media</a>, one of Indonesia’s leading television and content companies, also participated in the round.
The funds will help accelerate the company’s growth in the three markets it is currently available in &#8211; Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines &#8211; and will be used for expansion into new markets on the back of strong demand for the service.
Sky’s investment in Kuala Lumpur-headquartered iflix includes the purchase of $2.5 million of shares from existing investors, the UK-based company said in a statement.
Current investors in iflix include Hollywood studio <a style="color: #000080;" href="http://www.mgm.com/" target="_blank">Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer</a> (MGM), Philippines-based telco <a style="color: #000080;" href="http://pldt.com/">Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company</a> (PLDT) and parent company Catcha Group.
As part of the partnership, Sky and iflix will work together to identify areas of future collaboration across the high-growth emerging markets in which iflix operates.
iflix, which rivals Netflix in the Southeast Asian market, will also see Sky appointing a director to its board, iflix said in its statement.
The online TV streaming service was launched in May 2015 and has already signed up over one million members. It aims to extend its service to new Asean markets in the coming months.
Iflix is a joint venture between Catcha Group and US-based investment firm <a style="color: #000080;" href="https://www.evolutionmediacapital.com/" target="_blank">Evolution Media Capital</a>.
Sky is Europe’s largest provider of TV content on mobile, IPTV and OTT services through NOW TV, Sky Online and Sky Go. 
Sky group chief financial officer Andrew Griffith noted that iflix has quickly established itself as Southeast Asia’s most exciting and fastest-growing streaming TV service.  “There are lots of opportunities for Sky and iflix to work together and share expertise as both companies continue to expand.  We are really looking forward to supporting Mark and his team deliver their ambitious plans,” he said in the statement.
iflix co-founder and group chief executive officer Mark Britt commented: “As pioneers in the global broadcasting industry and true leaders in television and media, they share our passion for delivering market-leading content and services through innovation. Sky’s investment will further support our commitment to providing our members with the best in entertainment.”
In December, <a style="color: #000080;" href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/12/16/iflix-150-million/" target="_blank">TechCrunch had reported</a> that iflix was in talks with investors to raise up to $150 million to grow the service across Asia, and expand into Africa, Latin America and other emerging markets.
iflix charges a $3 monthly subscription fee, giving users unlimited access to tens of thousands of hours of content from a library of Hollywood, Asian regional and local TV shows and movies, on multiple devices.
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Europe-based entertainement company Sky pumps $45m into iflix, forms strategic partnership

Malaysia: Europe's Sky pumps $45m into iflix, forms strategic partnership

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