Animoto

Animoto
Private
Industry Template:Photo Slideshow Software
Founded 2006 (2006)
Founder Jason Hsiao, Brad Jefferson, Stevie Clifton, Tom Clifton
Headquarters New York City, New York
Website animoto.com

Animoto is a cloud-based video creation service that produces video from photos, video clips, and music into video slideshows.[1] Animoto is based in New York City with an office in San Francisco.[2]

Company History

Animoto was founded in 2006 by Jason Hsiao, Brad Jefferson, Steve Clifton and Tom Clifton because of the poor video quality found on the internet.[3] Animoto’s patented Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology allows users to turn photos, video clips and music into video slideshows.[4] Animoto’s founders include former producers of ABC, MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and the Documentary Group.[5]

Animoto launched a Facebook application during the 2008 SXSW Interactive Festival. The application experienced viral growth in April 2008. According to the New York Times, by mid-April, Animoto's Facebook application had nearly 750,000 people sign up in three days. At the peak, almost 25,000 people tried Animoto in a single hour.[6] Animoto decided to use Amazon's cloud computing servers in order to meet the growing number of subscribers.[7]

In June 2009, the Animoto launched an iPhone app, allowing users to create video using pictures on their mobile phone.[8]

By January 2013, the company had reached 6 million users and received a patent for its Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology.[2]

Educational Uses

Animoto can be used in education for countless projects and presentations. Students can use the tool to present a concept. A teacher could use the video as an introduction to a lesson. A teacher could also use the tool to teach a concept or the tool itself to other educators. http://animoto.com/education/classroom and http://animoto.com/blog/education/education-videos/ are great resources to see what Animoto can do for your classroom. [9]

Investors

Investors of Animoto include Amazon.com, Soft Tech, Bruce Livingstone (founder of iStockphoto and Stocksy United), Madrona Venture Group, and Spectrum Equity Investors.[10][11] In 2009, Animoto received $4.4 million in series B funding from Madrona Venture Group, Amazon, SoftTech VC, Bruce Livingstone.[12] By 2011, the company raised $25 million in series C funding led by Spectrum Equity Investors, Madrona Venture Group and Amazon.[1]

Awards

Animoto gained considerable attention from the press because of the company's acceptance speech at the Webby Awards. The Huffington Post ranked Animoto's acceptance speech in their "Best 5-Word Webby Speeches" of the Webby Awards Ceremony.[19] Animoto's CFO, Nathan Meagher, wore a wig and disrobed to leopard skin tights in front of the audience and Webby Awards host, Seth Meyers. Meagher than screamed, "Thank you, New York... WOOOOO," because of the 5 word maximum speech limit at the awards ceremony.

References

  1. 1 2 Animoto raises $25M to invest in mobile video creation — Tech News and Analysis
  2. 1 2 Animoto celebrates its fifth birthday with 6 million users
  3. ↑ Animoto: The No-Infrastructure Startup | Fast Company | Business + Innovation
  4. ↑ Summers, Nick. "Reporter for The Next Web". The Next Web. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  5. ↑ Wilson, Sara. "The Animoto Revolution: How this band of hipsters is taking photo sharing into the 21st century". Entrepreneur.com. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  6. ↑ Fitzgerald, Michael (May 5, 2008). "Cloud Computing: So You Don’t Have to Stand Still". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  7. ↑ Animoto: When scalability becomes a matter of prosperity or death - The Next Web
  8. ↑ Chang, Alexandra. "Animoto's new mobile app promises easy video slideshow creation". MacWorld. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  9. ↑ http://animoto.com/education/classroom and http://animoto.com/blog/education/education-videos/
  10. ↑ Geron, Tomio (May 29, 2011). "Online Video Creator Animoto Nabs $25 Million". Forbes Magazine. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  11. ↑ Arrington, Michael (June 29, 2011). "Animoto In It To Win It, Takes $25 Million In Third Venture Round". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  12. ↑ Animoto Raises $4.4M, Will Add Video Soon — Tech News and Analysis
  13. ↑ "The Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites". Technology News. PC Magazine. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  14. ↑ "Archive of Past SXSW Interactive Awards Winners". SXSW.com. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  15. ↑ Rusell, Kate (December 30, 2008). "Webscape: Year's top picks". BBC News. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  16. ↑ "Webby Award Winners 2009". Webbyawards.com. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  17. ↑ Web Services & Applications | 2012 | The Webby Awards Gallery + Archive
  18. ↑ "Professional Photographer Magazine's Hot One Awards". Professional Photographer Magazine. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  19. ↑ Hibbard, Laura (June 7, 2013). "The Best 5-Word Webby Speeches". Huffington Post. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
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