Cancon and Beyond - How Wattpad Is Becoming a Global Content Destination and Distributor

09/15/20 • 30 min

COVID lockdown restrictions have boosted the desire to consume creative content higher than ever. What’s new about this era is where the content is coming from -- a diversity of voices from around the globe, not originally directly linked to traditional publishing firms, production companies, or movie studios.

We explore this phenomenon in this episode of RBC Disruptors by looking into the origin story of Wattpad. As co-founder and CEO Allen Lau tells host John Stackhouse, the company was inspired by the desire for a good app for reading on mobile phones. Now, it’s turned into a content powerhouse, with more than 4 million writers uploading stories in 50 different languages. The most promising are turned into books, T.V. shows, and movies, like The Kissing Booth, After We Collided, and She’s With Me, thanks in part to Wattpad’s custom AI engine.

It’s a global company with global perspectives, but Lau believes it’s also important to represent Canadian perspectives on the world stage. This episode of RBC Disruptorslooks at a whole new viewpoint on Canadian content.

Previous Episode

Genomics and the Bio-Revolution: A roadmap for Canada's economic recovery.

It's a branch of molecular biology that humans have been harnessing for centuries, but has come to carry a negative connotation for many Canadians due to concerns about genetically modified organisms: Genomics.

A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute suggests that as much as 60% of the physical inputs to the global economy could be produced biologically, with potential savings of up to 4 TRILLION dollars per year. And as Canada works to recover from the COVID crisis, bio-manufacturing is also being billed as a massive opportunity to address issues like the supply chain vulnerabilities revealed by pandemic, as well as our reliance on foreign factories.

On this episode of RBC Disruptors, host John Stackhouse sits down with two of the country's top experts on Genomics; Doctor Rob Annan, the President and CEO of Genome Canada, and Doctor Bettina Hamelin, the President and CEO of Ontario Genomics, to learn more about the opportunities presented by the so-called "bio-revolution". He also delves into the regulatory, economic, and ethical barriers that exist, and the risks of being left behind if Canadian entrepreneurs fail to embrace this potentially transformational change.

Show notes:

The McKinsey Global Institute's report on the Bio-Revolution can be found here:

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/the-bio-revolution-innovations-transforming-economies-societies-and-our-lives

John also references a previous episode of Disruptors featuring Canadian author Alex Lazarow, called "Beyond Silicon Valley: Why We Need a Global Playbook for Innovation," which was originally released on August 4th, 2020.

Next Episode

How the NEXT Generation of Entrepreneurs Could Kickstart a Wave of Change

When others see obstacles, entrepreneurs see opportunities. Nowhere is that more true than the up-and-coming generation of business minds, many fostered through NEXT Canada. The organization gives entrepreneurs a boost through education, mentorship, funding, and access to a strong entrepreneurial network.

In this episode of RBC Disruptors, host John Stackhouse speaks with three members of NEXT’s Class of 2020, who have bold goals for reshaping economic and social systems and the environment - which could have wide-ranging impacts for Canada and the world as a whole. They speak confidently, clearly, and urgently about the imperative for better solutions, right now.

Myra Arshad is the Founder and CEO of ALT TEX, an intriguing B2B sustainable textile solution. It takes paper and food waste and agricultural by-products and converts them into carbon-neutral, biodegradable fabrics.

Natasha Dhayagude is the Co-Founder and CEO of Chinova Bioworks. The company’s focus is revolutionizing the food and preservation process, by developing a natural preservative extracted from the stems of white button mushrooms.

Zach McMahon is the Co-Founder and CEO of LUCID, which is building AI music therapy products. It places music at the centre of not only mood-building, but mental health, thanks in part to AI analysis.