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Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

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Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#131
post #60
post #16

A couple of things stick out from this numbers wise: * 7 founders (~14% split evenly, unlikely though) * 41M raised * Staff of 27 (obviously get some equity) Some valuation math: (Dilution) Pre-Money Post-Money (Founder dilution from ~14.28%) 15% 232.3M 273.3M 12.1% 20% 164M 205M 11.4% 25% 123M 164M 10.7% 30% 95.6M 136.6M 9.99% 40% 61.5M 102.5M 8.57% 50% 41M 82M 7.14% I realize the percentages are essentially a wild…

sometimes its just not about the money.

Of course it's nice to have someone do the work for you and present it like this. You know, just in case it is about the money.

Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#132

Sounds technologically impressive, I'm just wondering if a dynamic friend list is really an advantage over a static list. The last thing I want to be doing when hanging out with friends is to be on my mobile phone checking out what they've posted to Color. I'd rather, you know, interact with them in real life. Maybe I missed a vital point of it, though.

The best part about a dynamic friend list: instead of friend requesting a cute girl on Facebook, you need to take lots of photos of her and be near her location all the time.

Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#133
"... and even uses the phone’s microphone to ‘listen’ to the ambient surroundings ..."

Yeah, I definitely want an app that is listening to what I say all of the time. Great idea.

The automatic Social Graph based on proximity is a good idea. But doesn't it make you best friends with all of your neightbors (at home and work) and other random people you just happen to walk by or meet every day?

And why would I want to see pics of a restaurant that some friend sits in?

Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#134

It's mobile, it's social, and it's local! They managed to hit all the buzzwords in one startup!

After trying hard to understand their idea, I think you just delivered the best explanation. They even mentioned the possibility to integrate "coupons" in their system!

Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel the same. Unfortunately, after spending a few minutes with such an app and not having a positive impression, it's pretty rare that I would revisit the app again later in the future. Most of the people I know behave the same way: if it catches their attention, it stays on the phone or else the app's gone. The best launch scenario for them would have been SXSW .. instead, all the group messaging apps got the lim…

While I agree that the privacy of this feels a little weird, it's always opt in, just like 4sq is opt in. If you don't intend your photos to show up at a location, don't take photos on Color.

I think he is talking about appearing on other peoples' photos on Color

Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#138
post #3

Title doesn't do it justice. The photo-sharing part isn't what's novel. They seem to be building a social graph automatically weighted on physical proximity+frequency, using smartphone sensors (the most important one of which happens to be a camera). That's cool, and potentially game-changing. "All of your contacts are presented in a list of thumbnails ordered by how strong your connection is to that user. Whenever C…

If there's no cell signal, how do the phones know they're capturing similar audio?

I assume wifi.

Re: Sequoia gives photo-sharing startup more money than they gave Google

#140
post #30

Creepiest part- "it uses the camera to check for lighting conditions, and even uses the phone’s microphone to ‘listen’ to the ambient surroundings." The auto-social network based on proximity is awesome, though. I can't wait for this and the creep factor will be gone in five years anyway since we are all moving to a more open society.

What in the world does a picture app need to use my mic for?

There have been some research projects which can use snapshots of the lighting and sound around you to tell which building you are located in with 90% accuracy. I.E. they can tell you are in the Starbucks and not the hardware store next door. See "SurroundSense: Mobile Phone Localization via Ambience Fingerprinting" in the proceedings of Mobicom 2009.
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