Vertical Minds / EiLiN
Key facts
- Operator / parent
- Vertical Minds GmbH, jointly owned by MMC Agentur (Chriz Merkl) and International Film Partners (Markus Vogelbacher); HRB 309430
- Origin
- Germany
- Headquarters
- Munich, Germany
- Launched
- Company founded January 2026; EiLiN soft-launched around May 2026; full launch moved to late summer or autumn 2026, with no date given as of 22 October 2026
- Category
- App · Other origin
Vertical Minds is a Munich company building EiLiN, a premium 9:16 platform it describes as 'Fernsehen für die Hosentasche' (television for the trouser pocket). EiLiN soft-launched around May 2026 with early-bird sign-up at eilin.de; no app-store listing has been confirmed. The company gives a production benchmark of 100 one-minute episodes shot in eight days with eight days of post-production, at €200k to €250k a season. It told XPLR Media on 25 June 2026 that it will sell a conventional subscription rather than coins, and that it targets women aged 30 and over rather than the teen-skewed audiences of the Asian and US apps. OMR reported in August 2026 that the full launch had moved to late summer or autumn 2026; on 22 October 2026 the company said EiLiN would launch with 10 to 15 series and a monthly subscription under €15, without giving a date.
Reported figures
| Metric | Figure | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production cost per season | €200k–250k a season, per the company; OMR reported originals budgeted at €150k–250k per title (August 2026) | company | Company disclosure |
| Production schedule | 100 one-minute episodes in 8 shoot days and 8 post days | company | Company disclosure |
Profile
- Markets
- Germany / Europe
- Content
- Premium 9:16 platform: curated serial content, EiLiN Originals and archive licensing.
- Genres
- Premium serial drama; the company says it targets women aged 30 and over.
- Monetisation
- Consumer side: a conventional subscription rather than coins, per the company. Producer terms are quoted at up to an 80% archive revenue split, or 50:50 co-production.
- Profitability
- Not profitable (pre-launch)
- Backers
- Supported by Medien Bayern, BLM and Festival der Zukunft; pilots with SUPERAMA and PLAZAMEDIA. Seeking investors (INVEST / Wagniskapital); terms under non-disclosure.
People
- Sophie Werdin — CEO, since May 2026
- Chriz Merkl — Co-founder; MMC Agentur
- Markus Vogelbacher — Co-founder; International Film Partners
Sources
Update
: The profile gave EiLiN's launch as summer 2026. OMR reported in August 2026 that the full launch had moved to late summer or autumn 2026, and no date had been given as of 22 October 2026.