Avocado

Avocado Software Inc. launched in 2012 as a communication platform designed exclusively for couples. The company was founded by former Google employees Chris Wetherell, known for his work on Google Reader and Brizzly, and Jenna Bilotta, who was a user experience designer for Gmail, Google Reader, and YouTube. The founders' experience at Google shaped the app's design, which aimed to mimic the natural interactions between partners in a private digital space.

The venture secured $1.3 million in a seed funding round from investors including Baseline Ventures, General Catalyst, and Lightspeed Ventures. Avocado's business model was centered on a one-time purchase fee of $1.99 for its mobile applications on iOS and Android, while the web version was free to use. The platform was created to serve as a private, secure hub for two people in a relationship, positioning itself as an alternative to broader social networks where personal exchanges could be less secure.

The service offered a suite of features tailored for partners, such as private messaging, shared calendars for syncing schedules, and collaborative lists for groceries or date ideas. Users could also share a media gallery for photos and videos. Differentiating features included the ability to send digital 'hugs' and 'kisses', and a function that notified a user when their partner's phone battery was low. The name "Avocado" was chosen because avocado trees often grow in pairs to bear fruit, symbolizing the app's focus on partnership.

Despite initial interest and a clear value proposition in the niche market of apps for couples, Avocado faced significant challenges. The market for couples' apps was competitive, with rivals like Couple (formerly Pair) and Between offering similar functionalities. By 2016, users reported issues with app performance, likely due to a lack of updates. Ultimately, the company could not overcome financial and market pressures. In a blog post, the company announced it would be shutting down, and the service was officially discontinued on February 28, 2017. An export feature was made available for users to download their data archives.

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