Barcelona-based Titan OS just secured $58 million in Series A funding from Highland Europe to challenge the smart TV operating system duopoly. The startup's bet: TV makers are desperate for new revenue streams beyond razor-thin hardware margins, and advertising-powered OS platforms are the answer. With 18 million users already onboard through partnerships with Phillips and JVC, Titan OS is positioning itself as Europe's homegrown alternative to the American tech giants dominating living rooms.
The smart TV war just got more interesting. Titan OS landed $58 million in Series A funding today, led by Highland Europe with participation from Mangrove Capital Partners, to take on the tech giants controlling your living room screen.
The timing couldn't be better for the Barcelona startup. TV manufacturers are getting squeezed hard - they're selling hardware at razor-thin margins while Google, Amazon, and Samsung dominate the software layer where the real money flows. "It used to be the case that hardware manufacturers made most of their profit from selling the device itself," Titan OS COO Timothy Edwards told TechCrunch. "But now, some hardware manufacturers make more profit from ongoing content and advertising revenues than they do from actually selling the hardware."
That shift is creating massive opportunities. Multiple industry reports confirm advertising is becoming more lucrative for TV makers than the actual hardware sales. Sony might not ditch its core Android TV system, but it's already partnering with Titan OS to offer more free ad-supported television (FAST) channels to customers.
Titan OS has quietly built impressive scale since launching in 2023. The platform now serves 18 million users across Europe and Latin America through partnerships with Phillips and JVC. Revenue has grown 10x in just two years, driven by advertising on home screens, within streams, and innovative shoppable ads that let viewers scan QR codes to buy products directly.
Founder Jacinto Roca brings serious streaming credentials to the fight. He previously built and sold streaming startup Wukai.tv to , and his co-founders Timothy Edwards, Miquel Barba, and Tobias Pfalzgraff also cut their teeth at the Japanese e-commerce giant. That experience shows in Titan OS's sophisticated approach to content discovery - a critical pain point as found viewers are spending more time than ever just trying to find something to watch.
