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Rocket Fund Canada President & CEO Agnes Augustin explains how a not-for-profit equity fund is adapting to a fractured kids’ content market. She also covers why the sector now needs public-private partnerships to survive.
We need partners that are investing in the industry as a whole and the sector, not just wanting to make the next Paw Patrol or the next Bluey.
Inside the Episode
Rocket Fund Canada: Who Pays for Kids’ Content Now?
Rocket Fund Canada CEO Agnes Augustin shares the equity playbook for funding kids’ IP in a fractured, direct-to-consumer market.
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From Funder to Proactive Investor: How Rocket Fund grew from a passive funder into a sector champion. It then became a proactive strategic investor after 2008 and is now an advocate often called Canada’s “children’s screen office.”
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The Kids’ Content Equity Playbook: Why Rocket Fund makes thoughtful, non-formulaic investments built around a balanced portfolio. It takes calculated risks on potential hits and reinvests its returns, which reached up to 40% in one year.
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Funding Beyond Legacy Models: How the loss of regulated cable funding, broken windowing and hard-to-monetize YouTube are pushing the sector toward brand, philanthropic and public-private financing.
Episode Timeline
| Timestamp | Chapter |
| 01:09 | The Rocket Fund Canada Elevator Pitch |
| 05:07 | Investment Thesis & Entry Points for Producers |
| 11:54 | From Funder to Champion to Proactive Investor |
| 15:40 | Partnering with Co-Producers, Streamers & Global Buyers |
| 18:43 | Deal Structures & the Balanced Portfolio |
| 25:43 | Games, Roblox & Digital-First Experiences |
| 30:17 | Canadian Soft Money & Subsidies |
| 34:08 | Broken Windowing & the Search for New Business Models |
| 40:05 | Losing the Primary Funder: The Shaw–Rogers Shift |
| 55:57 | The Future: Direct-to-Consumer, AI & Redefining Success |
About Rocket Fund Canada
Rocket Fund Canada is a not-for-profit equity investor dedicated to children’s and youth content, formerly known as the Shaw Rocket Fund. Over 28 years it has invested more than $300M across roughly 1,200 titles, including animation, live action, features, digital-first series, games and immersive experiences. It reinvests its returns back into the sector.
Why Partner with Rocket Fund Canada
- Full-Project Equity Partner: Rocket Fund invests strategically in the whole project rather than only the Canadian share. It works directly with co-producers, streamers and global buyers such as Disney, Nickelodeon and the BBC.
- Cross-Platform Investment: It backs kids’ IP wherever children engage, from TV series and feature films to Roblox games, video games, live stage shows and museum experiences.
- Sector Leadership & Advocacy: As a leading voice with Canadian government and regulators, it gives partners access to policy insight and a network of producers and funders in Canada and internationally.
