Wattpad Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020
TORONTO - March 10, 2020 - Wattpad, the global multiplatform company for original stories, has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020.The list honors the businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. This year’s Most Innovative Companies list features 434 businesses from 39 countries.
“In an era when entertainment is quickly evolving, we’ve maintained a clear vision: to entertain and connect the world through stories,” said Allen Lau, CEO & co-founder, Wattpad. “We’re thrilled to be included in this year’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, which recognizes both our vision and the amazing global community of readers and writers who have contributed to our success. ”
Wattpad’s recognition on the 2020 list of Most Innovative Companies follows a year of growth and international entertainment acclaim. In 2019, Wattpad’s global community grew to more than 80 million people, and the company launched a number of new monetization initiatives to help diverse writers make money on the platform. Wattpad’s place as the world’s leading platform for writers was also recognized by Apple last year as a driving force of the App Trend of 2019 - Storytelling.
Wattpad has also seen enormous entertainment success around the world, with international entertainment deals with the biggest studios across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. To date, nearly a thousand Wattpad stories have been published as books, or turned into TV shows, films and digital media projects. The company currently has 50 TV and film projects in development, including TV adaptations of the international hit Wattpad stories She’s with Me and The Last She, which Wattpad is developing with Sony Pictures Television.
In 2019, Wattpad’s film After won a People's Choice Award for Best Drama Film, three Teen Choice Awards, and was one of the top grossing indie films of the year. Wattpad, AwesomenessTV and Grammnet produce the Emmy-nominated Hulu series Light as a Feather. And Netflix’s international sensation The Kissing Booth began as a Wattpad story. In 2019, Wattpad also launched a publishing division, Wattpad Books.
Fast Company’s editors and writers sought out the most groundbreaking businesses on the planet and across myriad industries. They also judged nominations received through their application process.
The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides both a snapshot and a road map for the future of innovation across the most dynamic sectors of the economy.
“At a time of increasing global volatility, this year’s list showcases the resilience and optimism of businesses across the world. These companies are applying creativity to solve challenges within their industries and far beyond,” said Fast Company senior editor Amy Farley, who oversaw the issue with deputy editor David Lidsky.
Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies issue (March/April 2020) is now available online at fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2020, as well as in app form via iTunes and on newsstands beginning March 17, 2020. The hashtag is #FCMostInnovative.
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About Wattpad
Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. 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 discover stand-out 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 and TV shows. Wattpad Brand Partnerships help brands build deep engagement with Gen Z consumers. In 2020, Wattpad was recognized as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at: company.wattpad.com
ABOUT FAST COMPANY
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for “Magazine of the Year,” Adweek’s Hot List for “Hottest Business Publication,” and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.