Wattpad Announces Plans for a Halifax-Based Second Headquarters

The expansion caps off a year of growth and international entertainment acclaim  

Toronto and Halifax - Dec. 9, 2019 - Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories, today announced plans for a Halifax-based second headquarters. Starting in early 2020, the company will establish a team in the Volta Innovation Hub, located in Halifax’s Innovation District. Wattpad’s current HQ is based in Toronto, with global teams in the UK, Los Angeles, New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Jakarta, and Manila.  

The expansion follows a year of growth and international entertainment acclaim for Wattpad. In 2019, Wattpad’s global community grew to more than 80 million people, and Apple recognized the company for driving the App Trend of 2019. The company also launched a number of new monetization initiatives to help diverse writers make money on Wattpad, solidifying its place as the world’s leading platform for writers. 

In entertainment, Wattpad’s film After won a People's Choice Award for Best Drama Film, three Teen Choice Awards, and became one of the top grossing indie films of the year. The company’s Hulu show, Light as a Feather, received four Daytime Emmy nominations and a second season order. Since 2018, Wattpad Studios has signed a dozen international entertainment deals, forming new partnerships and developing projects with the biggest studios across Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. 

Quotes 

Allen Lau, CEO & co-founder, Wattpad, said: “This expansion is a major milestone in a year of incredible milestones for Wattpad. We’re a global company, with teams and partners across time zones and on nearly every continent, so a second HQ will allow us to supercharge our business as we continue to grow. Halifax is a city and community that is unmatched in Canada, with a thriving tech scene, world-class talent, and a business-friendly environment. We’re thrilled to make Halifax home to our second headquarters.”    

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said: “We are excited that Wattpad has chosen Halifax, recognizing our city’s talent, location and cost advantages. This fast-growing company will be a welcome addition to the downtown, Volta, and the burgeoning Halifax innovation district.” 

Nancy Phillips, Vice President of Investment, Trade and International Partnerships, Halifax Partnership, said: “The Halifax Partnership is excited to welcome and support Wattpad in establishing their HQ2 and becoming a leader in Halifax’s innovation ecosystem.” 

Laurel Broten, president and CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc., the business development agency for the Province of Nova Scotia, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Wattpad to Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Business Inc., working with our partners, was pleased to highlight the many benefits and strengths our province has to offer which have ultimately led Wattpad to today’s announcement.”

Dr. Andrew Rau-Chaplin, Dean, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie, said: “It is really wonderful to see innovative tech companies like Wattpad choose Halifax. The technology and innovation sectors are booming on the East Coast and, along with our partners, we are supporting this growth by educating the digital talent organizations need to thrive here. As we ride this digital wave, we need great companies like Wattpad to look to Halifax to ensure we can continue to attract and retain the digital workforce of tomorrow. We look forward to working closely with Wattpad in talent development and research as they make this exciting move.”

Jesse Rodgers, Volta CEO, said: “Wattpad’s decision to open their second headquarters in Halifax is an exciting addition to the Atlantic Canadian innovation ecosystem. We are thrilled to have Wattpad join Volta’s community of innovators, and to act as a landing pad for the company as they get to know the region.”

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About Wattpad

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. Using the power of community and technology, the global multiplatform entertainment company is unleashing the full potential of stories to the world – in any format. Wattpad’s flagship app is the world’s leading social storytelling platform, home to a community of more than 80 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories. Wattpad’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology allows the company to understand and discover stories among the more than half a billion uploads that have been written on the platform. Wattpad Studios and Wattpad Books are transforming entertainment and publishing, using data-backed insights to turn Wattpad stories into books, films, TV shows, and digital projects. Wattpad Brand Partnerships offers a full suite of advertising products to help brands build deep engagement with Millennial and Gen Z consumers. Tap by Wattpad, the company’s second storytelling product, offers immersive interactive entertainment experiences in over a dozen languages. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada.