Canadian Startup Wundr Wants to Blow Up Digital Publishing

February 23, 2023

Ask 10 friends if they have a book idea, and probably eight do. Of course, there’s a big difference between having an idea and getting that book started—let alone finishing and actually publishing it.

Unlike most people with ideas, Ryan Vetter did get his book of angst, existentialism, and the search for meaning started. He actually got it finished too.

It was the publishing part that gave Vetter the real angst, threw up a huge roadblock and was the subsequent spark leading him become the founder and CEO of Wundr. The Wundr team is launching a new e-publishing platform with three key things in mind: self-publishing needs to be simple, uncomplicated, and inexpensive.

With only a prototype of an interactive iPad magazine, an illustration of his vision for an “electric publication,” Vetter took his pitch on the road, and even received the real Dragon’s Den treatment. There was no lack of bouncing his ideas off of venture capitalists, including Mark Cuban. Series A financing was secured at the beginning of 2012, and with a new team they started getting down to the business of building a platform.

Vetter has brought together a group of engineers and designers who have previously worked at places such as: Nokia, EA Games, Plentyoffish, Business Objects, and Time Inc. Rob Janoff, the creator of Apple’s iconic logo, is on board too.

Wundr is solving two problems with a single solution. Creating an ebook is hard, and distributing the finished product is even harder. No more using using ePub converters, combined with overly complex and expensive software to create an ebook. The Wundr platform is designed so that anyone can create interactive ebooks and e-periodicals to multiple devices.

In terms of distribution, the company’s publishing services makes it simple to publish, advertise, and manage titles worldwide. Wundr currently has distribution partnerships with Kobo and Apple.

To learn more about Wundr, they are holding a special, free evening event Friday February 8th in downtown Vancouver.