BookSloth

BookSloth was a social platform focused on book discovery, operating as a mobile application to connect readers with new books and each other. The company was founded in Puerto Rico in 2018 by Lincy Ayala, who served as CEO, and Xiomara Figueroa, the CTO. The idea originated from their personal frustrations with existing platforms and was further catalyzed by the experience of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which highlighted the importance of books and community for escapism and connection when modern infrastructure failed. Ayala, with a background that transitioned from biology to freelance design and development, and Figueroa, a mobile developer, combined their skills to create a product for the reader community.

The venture distinguished itself as the first all-women-led tech startup from Puerto Rico. The platform was designed primarily for the Young Adult (YA) reader market, aiming to simplify the book discovery process. Its mobile app allowed users to create profiles, track their reading, and receive personalized recommendations. A key feature was a unique rating system where users could rate books based on elements like characters, plot, and world-building, moving beyond simple genre recommendations. The app also emphasized community through features like discussion boards, user-following, and book clubs that functioned like live group chats for specific books. Before its acquisition, the platform had grown to over 50,000 users. The business model appeared to include affiliate links for book purchases, redirecting users to Amazon, and sought to create partnerships with smaller publishers and independent authors for targeted advertising.

BookSloth participated in several accelerator programs, including Parallel18, the Bravo Family Foundation's Rising Entrepreneurs Program, and the Apple Entrepreneur Camp, which helped it triple its user base and significantly increase engagement. In February 2022, BookClub, an online community platform, acquired BookSloth for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was a milestone for the Puerto Rican startup ecosystem and aimed to integrate BookSloth's social and community features to enhance BookClub's platform, with the BookSloth team joining BookClub.

Keywords: book discovery, social reading app, reader community, personalized book recommendations, Young Adult books, Lincy Ayala, Xiomara Figueroa, Puerto Rico startup, book tracking, mobile book app, BookClub acquisition, women-led tech, book rating system, online book clubs, social book platform, reading challenges, Parallel18, Bravo Family Foundation, Apple Entrepreneur Camp, book community