Underknown is a technology company.
Underknown has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Underknown has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Underknown has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Underknown's investors include Archangel Network of Funds.
Underknown is a Toronto-based digital-first media company founded in 2016 that produces short-form educational science and factual video series for social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and others[1][2][3]. It creates entertaining "edutainment" content on topics including science, history, geography, culture, space, nature, and survival scenarios through flagship series like *What If*, *How to Survive*, *Animalogic*, and *Aperture*, reaching over 80 million monthly viewers across 100+ channels with 500+ hours of original programming[1][3][4]. The company serves social media audiences and media partners by solving the challenge of delivering captivating, bite-sized educational content in a fast-scrolling digital environment, leveraging data science and workflow innovation for production and distribution[1][2][4]. Recent growth includes acquisitions like *Aperture* (2022), *Animalogic* (2024), a merger with creator agency GPOP (2024), and a FAST channel launch with *Popular Science* in 2025, alongside Web3 "learn-to-earn" initiatives[2][3].
Underknown was co-founded in 2016 by Steve Hulford (storyteller and serial entrepreneur with prior company exits in digital media and analytics), Raphael Faeh (web series strategist behind award-winning brands), and Peter Schmiedchen (25+ years in TV, radio, and online production) in Toronto[3][4]. The idea emerged casually when Hulford and Faeh produced the initial *What If* science-explainer series in Hulford’s living room, tapping into demand for hypothetical, engaging science content on social platforms[3]. Early traction came via organic growth on YouTube and social media, bolstered by 2019 funding of C$2.5 million from equity, debt, and Ontario Creates, which fueled scaling[3]. Pivotal moments include *What If* winning Webby and Shorty Awards in 2020, strategic acquisitions starting in 2022, and expansions into FAST TV and Web3 by 2025[1][2][3].
Underknown rides the short-form video and edutainment boom fueled by TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat, where mobile-first audiences crave quick, informative content amid declining attention spans and rising demand for science/humanities education[1][2][3]. Timing aligns with FAST TV growth (e.g., 2025 *Popular Science* channel on Vizio/Plex) and Web3 shifts, bridging Web2 creators with blockchain rewards via SWIM partnership, capitalizing on "learn-to-earn" trends[2][3]. Market forces like social algorithms favoring educational virality and ad revenue from 80M+ viewers favor its model, while acquisitions consolidate fragmented creator assets[3][4]. It influences the ecosystem by setting benchmarks for science storytelling (e.g., Webby wins alongside BBC), empowering creators via GPOP, and pioneering decentralized edutainment, democratizing access to factual content[1][3].
Underknown is poised for continued dominance in social edutainment through aggressive content expansion, Web3 monetization, and FAST scaling, potentially hitting 100M+ viewers as AI-driven production enhances personalization[1][2][4]. Trends like multimodal AI for video generation and deeper Web3 integration (e.g., NFT rewards, metaverse tie-ins) will shape its path, amplifying reach amid global science curiosity post-pandemic[2][3]. Its influence may evolve from pure producer to platform builder, licensing IP or acquiring more channels, solidifying Toronto's media tech hub status—echoing its living-room origins to 80M-viewer empire[3][4].
Underknown has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in February 2019.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2019 | $2.0M Seed | Archangel Network of Funds |