Snap Mafia: David Shim, founder of Read AI, on building a better future of work with AI and the story of his $175M acquisition by Snap
Aug 5, 2024
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David Shim, founder and CEO of Read AI, has a rich background including leading Foursquare and founding Placed, which Snap acquired for $175M. In this discussion, he shares his journey, highlighting his 'aha' moment in location measurement. Shim explains how AI can transform meetings with summaries and enhance workplace efficiency. He also tackles the challenges of optimizing video conferencing during the pandemic and the significance of emotional engagement in communication. Get ready to explore the future of AI in work!
David Shim's journey from founding Placed, which linked ad exposure to store visits, showcases the impact of location analytics on business decisions.
The launch of ReadAI represents a significant innovation in enhancing video meetings through AI by providing real-time engagement insights and effective summaries.
Deep dives
David Shim's Entrepreneurial Journey
David Shim's journey in the tech industry began with his experience at Quantcast, where he developed analytics using pixel tracking to monitor user behavior across websites. This early work laid the foundation for his understanding of mobile apps versus mobile websites, which he explored during the rise of the iPhone. Shim then co-founded Placed, a company that incentivized users to share their location data in exchange for monetary rewards, pioneering location analytics and targeting businesses based on user behaviors. His efforts culminated in a successful model that linked ad exposure to real-world store visits, demonstrating the power of data in driving business decisions.
Acquisition and Growth of Placed
Under David Shim's leadership, Placed experienced impressive growth, climbing revenue from $1 million to approximately $20 million before its acquisition by Snap. Initially funded by a seed round of $300,000, the company raised nearly $13 million across several rounds, emphasizing a frugal management approach. The relationship with Snap developed when major clients insisted on having Placed's services integrated, leading to strengthened ties between the two entities. This eventual acquisition positioned Placed as a cornerstone for Snap's future ventures, particularly in the realm of attribution for mobile ads.
The Evolution of Foursquare
After the acquisition by Snap, David Shim transitioned to a leadership role at Foursquare, where he further expanded the company's capabilities in location analytics. His tenure saw the consolidation of Foursquare and Factual, enhancing their data offerings by merging insights from both companies for better client services. Shim highlighted the misconception of Foursquare being merely a check-in app, emphasizing its growth in the enterprise market and its profitability exceeding $100 million. His leadership during the pandemic posed challenges but also allowed Foursquare to adapt, ultimately solidifying its position as a market leader in location-based data solutions.
Innovative Solutions with ReadAI
Following his successful tenure at Foursquare, David Shim launched ReadAI, a platform designed to optimize video meetings through advanced AI analytics. The application focuses on measuring engagement and sentiment in real-time, offering insights into communication effectiveness and helping individuals improve their speaking skills. By providing not only transcriptions but also summaries that highlight participant reactions, ReadAI transforms the meeting experience, addressing inefficiencies that often plague remote communication. The platform has seen rapid adoption, especially in international markets, indicating its significant utility and potential in revolutionizing how meetings are conducted and understood.
David Shim is the founder and CEO of Read AI, the leader in gen AI meeting summaries. David and his co-founders started Read AI with a mission of building the future of work, where every interaction is improved with AI. Read AI has raised over $32M and is applying AI and analytics to video conferencing that analyzes, prescribes, and prevents bad meetings.
Prior to founding Read AI, David was the CEO of Foursquare and before that was the founder and CEO of Placed, which was acquired by Snap for $175M in 2017. Hear David talk about his “aha” moment going all in on location measurement, the Placed acquisition story and what he wished he knew then, why meeting summaries will be most people’s first experience with AI, and what the future of AI has in store.