Anatolii Kasianov

Anatolii Kasianov (born 27 October 1995, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian technology entrepreneur and software developer, known as the co-founder and co-chief executive officer (Co-CEO) of HOLYWATER, a global technology company specializing in AI-first entertainment products.[1]

Early life and education

Kasianov studied at a physics-and-mathematics lyceum, where he learned to code and began taking on freelance programming projects. He later moved to the United Kingdom to study under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. After two years, he left the program to focus on practical projects and later co-founded his own company.

Career

Kasianov began his professional career as a freelance developer before joining an outsourcing company, aiming to gain experience for founding his own startup.

In 2020, he co-founded HOLYWATER, initially working as an iOS developer. He later became the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and, in 2025, assumed the position of Co-CEO. Under his leadership, HOLYWATER has grown from a seven-person team in Ukraine into a global company of more than 200 employees.[2][3]

As of October 2025, HOLYWATER’s ecosystem reached over 60 million users worldwide. HOLYWATER’s product ecosystem includes the vertical-series streaming app My Drama, an ad-supported companion app FreeBits, the e-book platform My Passion, and My Muse – a platform for vertical series produced with the support of AI.[4]

The company’s early success included a portfolio of mobile applications, one of which grew from $1,000 to $100,000 in monthly revenue within two months and reached $1 million within ten months.[5] In 2022, the company exited the app business, selling its portfolio of applications.[6][7]

In March 2024, Kasianov co-launched My Drama, HOLYWATER’s flagship vertical streaming platform.[8][9]  By 2025, My Drama featured over 90 original series and 4–6 new releases per month. That same year, FOX Entertainment became a strategic investor and shareholder, supporting the production of 200 vertical series and expanding the company’s global reach.[10][11][12] At the same year, Anatolii Kasianov co-produced the AI-driven short film Distance Between Two Points Of Me, which was selected as an Honoree at the Runway AI Film Festival 2025.[13][14] At the AI International Film Festival 2025, the project received a nomination for Best AI Short Film and an Honorable Mention.[15]

In 2025, he received a Globee Leadership Award.[16]

Kasianov provided financial assistance to Veteran Hub after the expiration of its USAID funding, enabling the center to resume operations and continue supporting over 1,000 veterans and their families.[17]

In January 2026, HOLYWATER raised $22 million in funding, the largest confirmed investment round in the microdrama sector outside Asia. The round was led by Horizon Capital, with participation from U.S. investors including Endeavor Catalyst and Wheelhouse.[18][19]

References

  1. ^ Forristal, Lauren (2024-09-04). "Short series app My Drama takes on Character.AI with its new AI companions". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  2. ^ "HOLYWATER Careers, Perks + Culture | Built In". builtin.com. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  3. ^ Kasianov, Anatolii. "How I Built A Successful Tech Startup Where 90% Of My Team Can't Code". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2025-08-23. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  4. ^ "MIPCOM Digital Platform - Sessions Directory Details". www.mipcom.com. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  5. ^ "Holywater broadens microdrama pipeline through 70-series deal with Amo Pictures". C21media. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  6. ^ Nesvit, Bogdan (2024-09-02). "From iOS Wallpapers to $90M ARR: Growth Strategies That Helped Us Thrive During Crisis". TheRecursive.com. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  7. ^ "Meet HOLYWATER, the Ukrainian mediatech building personalised worlds for 20+ million users - Maddyness UK". Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  8. ^ Forristal, Lauren (2024-09-04). "Short series app My Drama takes on Character.AI with its new AI companions". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  9. ^ "MIPCOM Digital Platform - Sessions Directory Details". www.mipcom.com. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  10. ^ "MIPCOM Digital Platform - Sessions Directory Details". www.mipcom.com. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  11. ^ Olena Hrazhdan, Kateryna Mykhailova. "Fox Entertainment Announces Equity Stake Investment in Ukraine-Born Startup Holywater". www.kyivpost.com. Archived from the original on 2025-11-18. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  12. ^ Patton, Tess (2025-10-21). "Vertical Micro-Dramas Are an $8 Billion Business. Hollywood Is Finally Paying Attention". TheWrap. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  13. ^ Nesvit, Bogdan (2025-08-15). "Why the Best AI Films Don't Feel Artificial at All". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  14. ^ "AI Film Festival by Runway | AIFF". aiff.runwayml.com. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  15. ^ Карпюк, Єлизавета (2025-07-15). "Ukrainian premiere on DTF Magazine: Illya Dutsyk's AI film about the feeling of a lost home". DTF MAGAZINE | DON'T TAKE FAKE. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  16. ^ Awards, Globee (2025-10-08). "2025 Winners | Leadership Awards". Globee® Business Awards. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  17. ^ "Veteran Hub відновлює роботу Лінії підтримки завдяки HOLYWATER – bit.ua". bit.ua Медіа про життя і технології в ньому. 2025-01-29. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  18. ^ "HOLYWATER secures $22M to expand mobile microdrama content". Tech.eu. 2026-01-16. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  19. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (2026-01-15). "Holywater Raises $22 Million in Financing Amid Microdramas Arms Race". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.