As Canada's creative community gathers in Ottawa for PRIMETIME, WatchMojo founder Ashkan Karbasfrooshan is formally unveiling the next chapter of the company's evolution with the launch of WatchMojo Studios, in partnership with Granicus Entertainment and Mojo.tv, backed by an initial $10 million development fund dedicated to original scripted and unscripted storytelling.
MONTREAL, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As Canada's creative community gathers in Ottawa for PRIMETIME, WatchMojo founder Ashkan Karbasfrooshan is formally unveiling the next phase of his media ambitions: the launch of WatchMojo Studios, supported by an initial $10 million fund dedicated to original scripted and unscripted storytelling.
Following the recent celebration of WatchMojo's 20th anniversary, Karbasfrooshan is turning his focus toward a slate of original stories he has been developing for more than two decades—projects that reflect his long-standing belief in identifying the right stories, at the right time, for the right platforms.
"When WatchMojo was ten years old, I consciously chose to prioritize enabling other creators over advancing my own projects," said Karbasfrooshan. "Over time, I came to understand why studio heads and founders ultimately return to the stories they believe in most. People come and go. Convictions don't."
A Creator-First, Platform-Smart Strategy
Rather than pursuing volume for its own sake, WatchMojo Studios is adopting a deliberate, project-by-project approach—pairing one creative lead per project (writer, showrunner, or director) with a distribution strategy tailored to each story. Karbasfrooshan refers to this as the "Battleship Strategy": aligning story, creative partner, format, and platform with precision.
The slate does not lack ambition, and early projects includes Running Out of Ideas, currently being adapted as short-form vertical storytelling, as well as Willpower (think Field of Dreams meets Moneyball), capturing Karbasfrooshan's most recent side project: bringing baseball and MLB back to Montreal with the Expos when the league's expansion window opens in 2028.
Each project will evolve on its own timeline, recognizing that some ideas move from concept to screen in months, while others require years of careful development.
Why Now
Five years after selling a minority stake in WatchMojo to a New York–based private equity firm, and following extensive exploration of M&A opportunities, Karbasfrooshan concluded that the next phase required a renewed bet on original IP—mirroring the conviction that led him, twenty years ago, to see YouTube's potential before it was obvious.
That early insight transformed a $250,000 seed investment into a company later valued by U.S. investors at approximately $90 million. Today, YouTube and FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) platforms sit at the center of the global media ecosystem, with WatchMojo reaching audiences in 150 countries, serving over 100 million monthly viewers and 75 million subscribers across social and streaming platforms.
"Hollywood is questioning its own future. We're not," Karbasfrooshan said. "Disruption creates opportunity, and WatchMojo has a proven track record of navigating exactly these moments."
Funding & Strategic Partnerships
The initial $10 million will be seeded directly from WatchMojo's balance sheet, with flexibility to expand through:
- Its existing private equity relationships,
- Growing inbound interest from institutional investors focused on digital media, AVOD (Advertising-based Video On Demand), and creator-driven IP,
- Strategic partnerships at either the slate or individual project level
While many projects will be incubated and promoted through WatchMojo's owned platforms, the company anticipates selling and distributing select titles through traditional outlets, including premium streamers, broadcasters, and global distributors across AVOD, SVOD (Subscription-based Video On Demand), TVOD (Transactional Video On Demand), FAST, and traditional cable and broadcast TV.
Looking Ahead
Karbasfrooshan emphasizes focus over frenzy.
"This isn't about launching ten projects at once. It's about doing a few, properly—each with the right creative partner, the right format, and the right shelf."
With a seasoned operating team managing WatchMojo's core business, Karbasfrooshan is now dedicating his energy to what he believes matters most: execution.
"Extraordinary outcomes don't come from ordinary thinking. I'm not interested in convincing skeptics—I'm interested in building with partners who want to turn ideas into reality."
About WatchMojo Studios
WatchMojo Studios is the original content arm of WatchMojo, focused on developing and producing premium scripted and unscripted stories for global digital and traditional platforms.
Media Contact
Pamela Toman, WatchMojo, 1 5148150400, [email protected], youtube.com/watchmojo
Pamela Toman, Watchmojo, [email protected], watchmojo.com
SOURCE WatchMojo
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