Podcasts

1. Podcasts are taking over the world

What's the trend? The number of podcast listeners exceeded half a billion at the end of last year and continues to grow steadily. Accordingly, platforms that allow you to create and listen to podcasts are gaining popularity.

Podeo, a UAE-based podcast platform that is popular in the Arab world, has reached a subscriber base of 50 million and recently raised $5.4 million. The platform became popular after the infamous chemical explosion in Beirut in 2020, which killed more than 200 people and displaced 300,000. People started using Podeo to share their feelings and prayers about this tragic event.

While developing Podeo the founders talked to podcasters and noticed that they had to use many different tools, which made the process of producing a podcast long and complicated. So Podeo decided to create comprehensive products covering all aspects of such production. And now podcasters can edit audio, do sound design, branding and mixing - all right in Podeo - and get a fully polished, ready-to-publish podcast within 24 hours. Podeo also has its own solution for programmatically embedding ads at multiple points throughout the podcast, giving creators the opportunity to make money. As a result, over 100,000 people have joined Podeo in two years.

The platform has shown originality in its approach to increasing the number of listeners. To reach a wider audience, the startup formed partnerships with several offline and online channels, including regular radio stations, an airline, and even a card game app where the startup integrated an SDK to allow gamers to passively listen to podcasts while playing. Podeo doesn't charge listeners any subscription fees, and soon plans to not require creators to pay for subscriptions either, earning solely from advertising.

How to use it: create platforms and tools that make it easier to record, edit, and edit podcasts. The use of AI in podcasting tools can seriously automate a number of content creation processes and improve audience interaction. With such tools, it is possible to enter the global market - here, by the way, are statistics on the popularity of podcasts in different countries. You can also look towards creating services that will help you navigate through a large stream of podcasts and recommend relevant ones depending on the interests of a particular user.

More examples of platforms for podcasters:

• Podcastle - a podcasting platform with AI-based generative features;

• Zencastr - a full audio and video platform that offers recording, editing, and distribution tools for podcasts;

• Wondercraft - creates professional studio-quality audio recordings for podcasts, audiobooks and advertising using AI;

• Dexa - a platform that makes it easier to find information in podcasts using AI.

2. AI sales representatives

What's the trend? For probably about two years now, there has been a hype around the topic of generative intelligence. However, although many companies are actively experimenting, they are still very slow to implement AI-based solutions into their current business processes. That said, there are exceptions, and one of them is AI SDRs, which typically use LLM and voice technologies to create personalized emails and automated calls to potential customers. In this sector, several companies at once, solving seemingly the same problem, are growing quite rapidly, which surprises market participants and warms up the market at the same time.

For example, last week two projects attracted another notable round of investments:

• 11x.ai (another $50 million round at a $350 million valuation), which we wrote about in a past issue - the project currently has two AI bots - so-called “automated digital workers.” They are Alice, an AI SDR that handles lead generation, research and customer acquisition, and the recently introduced Jordan, an AI phone sales rep that speaks more than 30 languages and can handle inbound and outbound conversations with potential customers. According to information from the founder, the company is approaching an ARR of $10 million, which means investors have valued the startup at around ARR 35;

• Artisan - their AI specialist Ava automates the workflow from lead prospecting and development to the deal closing stage, acting as a true team member. The project's founder is 23 years old, the company has reached $1 million ARR in just three months, and has raised $11.5 million in the current round.

How to use it: create and implement AI services aimed at improving sales effectiveness. To stay competitive, you need to utilize AI assistants in your processes, increasing the productivity of your employees by automating some of your workflows.

More examples of AI SDR: Regie. ai, AiSDR, Copilot from ZoomInfo.

3. AI that sees content like your users do

What is the trend? There is a clear trend towards the use of AI to analyze and process various information, which allows us to assess the taste preferences of consumers and, based on this, build marketing strategies and personalize sales approaches for a particular customer. Many services are emerging that can, for example, analyze consumer reviews of various products (including even video reviews) and thus obtain the necessary information to customize advertising.

The Visit project, which recently raised $25 million, goes deeper. With proprietary AI that accurately interprets, measures and predicts consumers' visual preferences, Vizit intends to revolutionize how brands create and optimize visual content.

Using Vizit's “proprietary Visual AI Lenses,” e-commerce companies can optimize their visual content with unprecedented precision, achieving deep consumer response and higher conversions.

Iconic brands such as Mars and Heineken, for example, are already achieving significant results with Vizit, including a 30% increase in conversions and a 10% increase in sales on Amazon.

How to use it: in today's online commerce, it's no longer enough to just have content - you need the right content, which needs to be optimized and personalized to stand out and convert consumers at every touchpoint. So you have to make and use services that provide this. For example, platforms that can aggregate and analyze user feedback and help companies better understand users' taste preferences to adjust marketing strategies, improve the quality of recommendations and personalize sales, which can significantly increase conversions.

As examples of such projects, it is worth mentioning those startups that focus on content personalization (tailoring it to users), which allows for a noticeable increase in conversions.

We have already looked at these in our reviews:

• Velou 's “self-optimizing” product catalogs that adjust content in real time;

• Bloom AI automatically tests and places the most effective content on your product card, thereby significantly increasing conversion rates.

And just the other day they attracted investment:

• Shootify ($330k) - a service for the fashion industry - makes gorgeous images of models wearing those products out of photos of your products;

• FocalStudio ($1.6 million) - optimizes product images using artificial intelligence to increase conversion.

4. Activities of interest

What's the trend? Current research shows that the popularity of dating apps is declining, while offline events are growing in popularity as a way to find and meet people who match your interests. Because of the habit of meeting online and working remotely, new generations are finding it difficult to approach each other just to talk. As a result, loneliness is already a worldwide epidemic and is therefore becoming the focus of startups.

Interest-based events could be the basis for dating for today's generations and app Pie ($11.5 million) tests this hypothesis. The app has simple functions - the organizer posts information about the nearest offline event, and other users choose their favorite ones and confirm their participation in them. Thus, there is a “grouping” by interests and you get into the right company, where you have something to talk about with other participants and more chances to make friends. The app is currently running in Chicago and already has over 20k users.

How to use it: there is a noticeable shift from online dating to offline events, which makes it possible to create and develop services related to cultural, sports or educational events. It is possible to try to create services for grouping people by interests and preferences, based on age, interests and goals, and organizing offline events for them. Such services can be monetized through partner venues, for example.

More examples of projects that seek to bring people back to offline communication:

• 222 - a project for introducing young people to each other through participation in offline events - users take surveys and receive notifications about events suitable for them;

• BASH - a project from Amsterdam allows you to find information about various parties, see who is planning to go to them, and socialize with attendees;

• Liveliness - a Spanish startup focusing on sports dating - the app allows users to find other people with common interests, chat and organize joint events, the app also has a feed of organized sports events;

• Buffet - an app that helps users find like-minded people and choose places to meet new acquaintances;

• FITFCK - a fitness dating app that brings together sports enthusiasts - allows you to socialize and set up dates based on sports activity.

5. AI testers.

What's the trend? Professional testers will probably argue, but it seems that testing web and mobile applications with the help of AI is not only possible, but can significantly reduce the time spent on testing, increase the accuracy and reliability of tests and at the same time just additionally reduce the number of errors caused by the human factor. Therefore, a clear trend towards automating software testing processes with AI-based solutions can be observed nowadays.

One such testing service is Squidler (recently raised $580k). Squidler 's efficiency is determined by two main aspects: generative and continuous testing. Their combination is the heart of the service. Generative testing means that Squidler generates test cases on its own and it is an iterative process of searching for possible actions at any stage of testing and using a combination of randomness and heuristics to select the next action. And Squidler will quickly learn the structure of the site under test and use it to increase coverage using statistical models.

During the execution of the tests, everything that a human would observe is evaluated by Squidler. The behavior of the virtual user is evaluated against rule sets and can find multi-step problems. Perhaps an error occurs only after opening a modal window, clicking a button, and finally closing the modal window with a keystroke - Squidler can detect and record all of this.

As a result, the site owner will receive emails on problems either as they are detected or in weekly digests. Links to problems found can be easily sent to developers or other technical staff (Squidler can be integrated with email and Slack).

How to use it: develop or invest in projects that build similar AI testing tools. As the software market continues to grow and testing remains an important part of development, investing in test automation technologies can be well worth it and profitable. By feel - testing is one of those processes where AI can really get better than humans in many aspects.

More examples of AI testingprojects:

• BlinqIO - an autonomous test automation bot that uses generative AI to do the work of a test automation engineer;

• Automatepro - a project to accelerate update and testing, DevOps and documentation work with AI automation;

• QA.tech, a tool for testing AI-powered applications and SaaS services, aims to change the speed and capability of testing for companies;

• Testaify - AI-based testing platform to help testers get bug information faster;

• SOFY.AI - a no-code solution for mobile app testing.

6. Roon. Google for diseases.

When trying to sort through medical information and understand their medical conditions, many people usually turn to Google - but it is not able to verify or provide the most up-to-date information.

Roon plans to change that by creating a medical education platform with verified information strictly from doctors, patients, and caregivers. The startup has raised $15M at a preliminary valuation of $65M.

Currently, Roon's website says it can help patients with fertility and family building, dementia, ALS neurological disease or brain cancer.

The company initially began providing medical information about glioblastomas by enlisting disease-specific experts and then expanded the range of topics. Roon also offers to connect users with others who have similar diseases.

What's the trend? Every person has a different disease, so you need to take into account the individual characteristics of each patient. A personalized approach involves not only treatment but also prevention, which significantly reduces government spending on the healthcare sector. According to Healthcare Finance, the healthcare industry spends about $2.5 billion a year on ineffective treatment. And according to RBC Market Research, the largest share in the turnover of the Russian market of paid medical services is held by the Mother and Child Group (2.33% of the market turnover).

More examples. Google Cloud has developed an AI-based tool that will allow doctors to search for information in medical records: patient records, scanned documents and other clinical data.

How to apply it? When any ailment arises, we immediately try to find information and most often come up with scary diseases that are usually written on a pack of cigarettes. Create a similar service/forum where people and doctors can share verified information.

7. Imii. AI-assisted emigration.

Immigrants face a myriad of challenges and difficulties. In particular, with no local relatives or friends to rely on, new immigrants often find themselves in the dark about reliable information about important services such as housing, healthcare, and banking.

Imii is an AI assistant for immigrants that aims to help them settle and integrate in a new country. The startup's co-founder and CEO, Jane Fisher, was born and raised in Japan to immigrants from the Soviet Union.

Imii offers immigrants one-on-one counseling and connects them with trusted local service providers and businesses that speak their language, if possible. In the app, users register, answer a few questions, and receive personalized recommendations. The chatbot, temporarily powered by ChatGPT 4o, provides advice on housing, banking, and health care. And if the chatbot can't help with an issue, users can contact the Imii team directly for assistance.

What's the trend? There are about 281 million people worldwide who are international migrants, representing 3.6% of the world's population, according to a UN report. In addition, the World Bank predicts that climate change could displace up to 216 million people by 2050. According to various estimates, between 500,000 and 1.3 million people left Russia in the first year since the start of the NWO.

More examples.

• Matutto (primarily B2C) specializes in providing relocation services directly to consumers.

• Benivo (B2B) specializes in providing relocation solutions for businesses and has raised a total of $30 million.

• Welcome Tech (B2C, not yet launched) claims to provide a digital platform designed to help immigrants with various aspects of relocation. The company raised $30 million in April 2022, bringing its total to $73 million, but it hasn't come out of obscurity since 2022.

• There are other companies like Perchpeek (B2B), Settly (B2B), Relocity (B2B) and Localyze (B2B), immigram (B2C).

How to apply this? Many have launched similar agencies and do paid consulting, but I haven't seen any complete solution with various AI features for RF users yet.

8. Voovo. AI for memorizing information.

Voovo, an AI-powered flash card app designed to change the way students and teachers approach learning content, has received $550K in pre-funding.

Voovo offers an adaptive and personalized learning experience through digital flashcards that uses interval repetition and active memorization, two scientifically proven methods to improve memorization and learning speed. The app not only helps students memorize the material they've covered, but also actively reinforces their knowledge over time, making learning efficient and engaging.

Since its inception, Voovo has helped more than 100,000 students around the world, helping them learn more efficiently and with greater impact.

What's the trend? Over the past few years, it's become clear that microlearning has become a game changer for learning. And flashcards are a powerful technique for improving long-term concept memorization because the technique uses a combination of 6 effective learning strategies. At a minimum, creating and using flashcards allows you to practice finding and memorizing information. You can also use visuals, concrete examples, and practice interval memorization.

More examples. Learn.xyz, an app that aims to make everyday learning accessible and engaging, has received $3M. It generates short educational “streams” based on user questions.

How to apply it? It seems like flashcards are long past their prime, but with AI, even old things can be revitalized. Take a look at old trends and companies and see if you can add AI to them and get something fresh.

9. MarqVision. Fighting counterfeit goods.

MarqVision, an artificial intelligence startup to fight counterfeit goods, has raised $16M.

MarqVision, a company that uses artificial intelligence to help brands stop the sale of counterfeit goods, has raised $16M in a Series A+ round.

The company is launching Marq AI, a suite of generative artificial intelligence products. The first is a conversational assistant that can detect fake deals hidden in social media posts or conversational commerce. It also offers an interactive dashboard that provides real-time information about fake detection.

In addition, Marq AI automates manual processes such as collecting site data, sending emails, and enforcement actions.

In total, it scans about 1,500 platforms, including Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Instagram, Meta and TikTok. And in the past three years, the company has grown 30 times year-over-year.

What's the trend? 71.6% of consumers unknowingly purchase counterfeit goods in search of genuine products. That's a staggering number - and it underscores how difficult it is for even the most vigilant consumers to tell the real thing from the fake. According to the Crime Prevention Council, $2 trillion worth of counterfeit goods are sold each year. Russia has a huge number of sites for buying various goods, and soon there will be even more, because T-Bank is also planning to launch its own marketplace. And with the development of parallel imports, the supply of non-original goods to Russia is becoming a problem, including for marketplaces.‍

More examples.

• Alitheon is a startup that uses computer vision algorithms to determine the authenticity of goods based on images. Just upload a few photos and the algorithms create a “digital fingerprint” of the product.

• SneakerCon is a sneaker authentication platform. eBay acquired this company to improve its verification services.

How to apply this? Build similar services for B2C and B2B customers so they no longer have to google “how to check _ for originality”.

10. Clout Kitchen. AI mentor for online games with the voice of your favorite streamer.

Clout Kitchen, a startup that creates AI-enabled tools for content creators, has raised $4.45M in seed funding.

Founded in 2024, Clout Kitchen focuses on improving creators' interactions with fans. The company's products target the gaming and pop culture sectors, providing creators with new opportunities for growth and audience engagement.
Clout Kitchen's first product, Backseat AI, is an in-game companion for League of Legends. It was developed in partnership with “Tyler1,” one of the largest game content creators with over 20 million subscribers. Backseat AI helps players improve their gameplay in real-time by offering advice on which characters to choose, what items to purchase, and other game strategies. The tips are given by a “doppelganger” of their favorite creator. Other bloggers will be coming soon.

Backseat AI has gotten a lot of attention, with more than 45,000 people signed up for the waitlist since early testing began in June. The service costs $4.99 per month, with creators receiving a portion of each subscription.

What's trending. AI in the global video game market will reach $438.9 million by 2027. It's becoming clear that artificial intelligence is not just a gaming assistant, but a secret weapon. According to 62% of gamers, artificial intelligence can enhance the gaming experience, and with a projected growth rate of 27% between 2020 and 2027, it looks like artificial intelligence is here to stay. From creating huge virtual worlds in games like No Mans Sky to personalizing the gaming experience and even offering real-time help via chatbots.

More examples.

• Metafy is a platform where gamers can get coaching and advice from gaming professionals. The startup recently raised $5.5 million in investment, indicating interest in coaches for games.

• trophi.ai is a startup that provides feedback to players based on their gaming data using AI. They plan to expand the project to cover different game genres. [Issue 231. W28. July 19, 2024].

How to apply this? Take it and replicate it. Maybe even into other sectors, like fashion. You take a picture of your bow or makeup and a famous blogger, in their own way, tells you what to fix.