'Niche works': How 3 streaming challengers plan to gain an edge on Netflix by focusing on standup, history docs, and indie film

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Netflix has dominated the streaming industry for the past decade

• NextUp Comedy, HistoryHit and Paus are up-and-coming Netflix challengers, offering curated content in three different niches: standup, history documentaries and independent cinema.
• The streaming services industry is expected to be worth more than $30 billion globally by 2022, according to research from PwC.
• Speaking to Business Insider, the three firms revealed how they planned to build loyalty among subscribers by tapping into more specific niches than streaming giants like Amazon or Netflix can offer.
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For the better part of the last decade, Netflix has been the undisputed king of the online streaming world.

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Big budget challengers like Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Apple TV are still trying to dethrone the on-demand behemoth.

And a feisty cohort of specialized challengers are nipping at the giants' ankles, each steadily building a following by tuning into viewers' more particular interests.

NextUp offers standup comedy, Paus curates independent cinema, while HistoryHit's clue is in the name.

According to professional services firm PwC, the over-the-top streaming market will be worth more than $30 billion internationally by 2022, meaning even a smaller slice of the pie could be lucrative.

"Niche works," proclaims HistoryHit cofounder Justin Gayner, previously a producer on BBC quiz show QI.

Regardless of their differences, this mantra is a recurring theme among the challengers: smaller, better-tailored content for a specific audience could reap massive benefits when distributed on a global scale.

Business Insider sat down with the CEOs of NextUp, HistoryHit and Paus to get a sense of where the industry is heading...

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.