Steve Hulford

Co-Founder & CEO @ Underknown

Steve Hulford is the Co-Founder and CEO of Underknown, a Toronto-based digital media powerhouse that has amassed over 75 million followers across more than 100 monetized channels worldwide. With flagship brands like 'What If,' the world's #1 science and technology video channel on social media, Animalogic, Aperture, and How to Survive, Underknown produces captivating short-form factual entertainment exploring science, history, geography, and culture. The company generates billions of ad views annually, translates content into 12 languages, and employs a global team of over 100 creators spanning 20+ countries. Underknown also operates the Popular Science FAST TV channel and has earned accolades including Webby Awards, Telly Awards, and recognition as Deloitte's 34th Fastest Growing Company. Hulford's journey to building this empire began with a passion for storytelling ignited during his competitive swimming days in Waterloo, Ontario, where he trained alongside Olympians. After studying at the University of Toronto, he backpacked through Indonesia, producing and directing his first documentary, '60 Days in Indonesia.' This sparked a career in digital media. Hulford held key roles at TSN, RDS, Rogers Sportsnet, and Quokka Sports, pioneering broadband content and sports websites. As an entrepreneur, he co-owned PoolExpert.com, sold to Rogers in 2008 after tripling revenue, and founded Filemobile, a user-generated content platform sold to Newzulu in 2015. These exits honed his expertise in scalable digital workflows, which he applied to Underknown, launched in 2016. Starting with viral experiments, Underknown scaled rapidly by leveraging data-driven content creation, custom software for video management, and real-time audience testing. Hulford emphasizes curiosity-driven innovation: 'We boil down complex subjects in a fun, engaging way.' His leadership has turned Underknown into a self-publishing studio challenging traditional media giants like National Geographic and Discovery by thriving on social platforms—YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook—without legacy infrastructure. Beyond business, Hulford remains an avid swimmer and environmentalist, organizing events like the 2020 Live Med Aid livestream featuring Jane Goodall and Neil deGrasse Tyson to raise funds for COVID-19 relief. Today, as CEO, he continues pushing boundaries, incubating new shows on philosophy, psychology, and food origins while expanding into TV and FAST channels. Hulford exemplifies the modern media entrepreneur: blending athletic discipline, creative vision, and tech savvy to inform and inspire 80 million monthly viewers.

Key Insights from Steve Hulford

Underknown has 75M+ followers across 100+ channels, producing 1B+ ads/year.

— Steve Hulford on Social Media Scale

Data first, intuition second—we analyze every video before production.

— Steve Hulford on Content Creation

If National Geographic & Discovery had a kid in 2024, it would be Underknown.

— Steve Hulford on Media Innovation

We colorize history footage because 13-24 year olds stop watching black & white.

— Steve Hulford on Gen Z Engagement

Notable Quotes from Steve Hulford

"We develop our shows in real-time on social media."

— Steve Hulford

"Boil down complex subjects in a fun, engaging way."

— Steve Hulford

"Data first, intuition second."

— Steve Hulford

"If National Geographic & Discovery had a kid, it would be Underknown."

— Steve Hulford

Frequently Asked Questions about Steve Hulford

How did Underknown achieve 75 million followers so quickly?

Underknown launched in 2016 with data-driven experiments, testing 50 videos to identify hits like 'What If.' They scaled by building custom software for video workflows, distributing across YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook, translating into 12 languages, and focusing on underserved topics in science, history, and culture. This efficient model— one video, multiple channels, multi-language—enabled rapid growth to 75M followers and 400M monthly watch minutes without traditional marketing budgets. [Underknown](https://underknown.com/about/), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevehulford).

What makes Underknown's content strategy unique?

Unlike legacy media, Underknown operates as a creator-led studio, developing shows in real-time based on social data. They prioritize short-form 'mini-documentaries' that 'boil down complex subjects' engagingly, using A/B testing on openings and hooks. Brands like What If use hypotheticals to explain real science, while How to Survive teaches practical skills. Global teams localize content, and proprietary tools aggregate performance insights, ensuring high retention. Awards like Webbys validate their approach. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hulford), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevehulford).

What is Steve Hulford's background before Underknown?

A former competitive swimmer, Hulford transitioned from sports media roles at TSN.ca, Sportsnet, and Quokka Sports into entrepreneurship. He built and sold PoolExpert.com to Rogers (2008) and Filemobile (UGC platform) to Newzulu (2015), gaining expertise in scalable digital tools. These experiences informed Underknown's tech stack. His early documentary '60 Days in Indonesia' showcased his storytelling roots. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevehulford), [Notable Life](https://www.notablelife.com/executive-reads-steve-hulford/).

How does Underknown monetize and expand?

Primary revenue from programmatic ads on 100+ channels (1B+ views/year). They expanded via organic scaling, acquisitions like Aperture, and into FAST TV with Popular Science channel. Future plans include new shows on philosophy/food and multi-platform growth. Profitable without VC, focusing on unit economics. [Tubefilter](https://www.tubefilter.com/2022/03/18/underknown-educational-youtube-content-acquire-aperture/), [Underknown](https://underknown.com/about/).

Steve Hulford — Areas of Expertise

  • Digital Media Production
  • Social Video Scaling
  • Educational Content
  • Science Storytelling
  • Media Entrepreneurship
  • Content Workflows
  • Guest

Steve Hulford — Show Appearances

  • Mornings in the Lab (2024-04-26)

Steve Hulford — Signal Brief

Signal Score: 6/100

Generated 2026-04-16T01:26:07.623Z