Storydocks: New Storytelling Start-Up from Oetinger

In German Buch News by Ingrid Süßmann

The Verlagsgruppe Oetinger, one of Germany’s largest children’s books publishers, has launched a new subsidiary company: Storydocks. With its claim “We build digital companies”, Storydocks’ goal is to raise digital storytelling to a new level.
Till Weitendorf is the CEO of Storydocks, a digital storytelling subsidiary of Oetinger

Till Weitendorf is the CEO of Storydocks, a digital storytelling subsidiary of Oetinger

By Ingrid Süßmann

Storydocks, Oetinger’s new “digital daughter,” is another one of Oetinger’s forays into digital realms: the aim of this new venture is to both start and support existing start-ups in the field of digital publishing and digital storytelling. The mission is very clear: “Telling fascinating digital stories and making them attractive to a diverse target group.” Storydocks is currently focused on the European market, but its existing portfolio companies also operate globally.

The company’s existing digital brands have been incorporated into Storydocks:

  • Tigerbooks: Digital reading app for children’s books which also includes movies, audiobooks and music
  • TigerCreate: Software to create enhanced, interactive ebooks and apps
  • Onilo.de: Digital reading platform for children’s books, primarily aimed at elementary schools with interactive stories based on board books
  • Framily.de: Personalized children’s books

Storydocks has also partnered with another German start-up, Readio, to provide responsive reading technology that combines text with images, sound and animations and adapts itself to the reading flow of each user.

Storydocks is headed by Till Weitendorf (CEO of both Storydocks and Verlagsgruppe Oetinger) and Michael Adam (COO/CFO). The team includes a group of business analysts, developers and marketing experts, focused on founding and supporting new and successful start-ups in the media and publishing industry.

Weitendorf said: “With Storydocks we’re not only able to develop our own business models and brands even further, but we’re also taking part in other start-ups and help them position themselves on the market for the long term. Our industry know-how helps us to implement new business models much faster and strengthen them sustainably.”

About the Author

Ingrid Süßmann

Ingrid Süßmann is an IT Project Manager at Droemer Knaur in Munich, Germany. She previously worked as Author Relations Manager for neobooks, and has held various positions at Random House Germany and Carlsen Verlag. In addition to her work in book publishing, Ingrid is also a certified beekeeper and fan of baby donkeys.