When you work for a VC firm focusing on software, you’ll see a lot of product demos. I mean, a lot. They come in various formats, usually with some demo effects, and can be performed live in a conference room or in a cafe, or virtually over Zoom or something similar. Sometimes you’ll see a recorded demo video.
Well, today a colleague shared a demo video, which immediately grabbed my attention and felt very fresh and cool. Here’s the video:
The idea is to transform your Zoom calls (or whatever you’re using for video meetings) from boring non-interactive sessions to a “weekend update-style TV show”, as The Verge put it. Turn it on and it will transform your room into a virtual stage, where you can manipulate the background and the way you’re being shown and present slides like a TV host.
One of the persons behind the idea, Phil Libin (who’s doing the demo in the video) previously led Evernote, which is another productivity app I’m using on a daily basis. Given the background and the product idea, it’s not a big surprise that the company has already raised $4.5 million in a funding round led by Sequoia, even though the the product isn’t out yet. You’ll have to sign up for a waiting list to get your hands on a beta.
Here’s why I think the demo is awesome and why I feel the product has a lot of potential:
The demo immediately grabs your attention and speaks to you.
The product solves a real world problem that many of us have been struggling with, especially when working from home due to COVID-19.
It rides on the trend (which I believe in) that remote work will prove popular even after the pandemic subsides and that usage of videoconferencing will continue to grow.
It’s in the intersection of consumer and enterprise software, which is a very exciting space.
The product seems to be very easy to start using (essentially it’s just a virtual camera for Zoom) and you can manipulate everything just with your touchpad and shortcuts.
You can immediately see the value of the solution and realize what potential it has to offer you.
The demo is funny. The fact that Libin is able to pull it off with a straight face makes it even funnier.
Even the name of the product is creative and memorable. Mmhmm. And yes, I can confirm that you can say it while munching on a sandwich.
I hope I’ll get beta access soon, because I can’t wait to try this is out and see how it works in practice. Most importantly, I’d like to understand if this is just a gimmick that’s funny to try out a couple of times four laughs – or if it has genuine potential to permanently raise video presentations and recurring internal meetings to a completely new level.