KustomNote

KustomNote began its journey in 2012, founded by Hussein Ahmed and Samah Gad, and was officially established as a company in August 2014. The venture started as a note-taking platform designed to work with Evernote, allowing users to create structured templates for their notes. This addressed a market need for capturing information in a standardized format, and the platform grew organically to over 80,000 users. The founding team possessed a strong technical background; both CEO Hussein Ahmed and CTO Samah Gad hold PhDs in computer science, with Ahmed having prior experience as a Software Development Manager at Amazon.

Recognizing a larger opportunity beyond simple note-taking, the company pivoted. In May 2015, KustomNote rebranded as Transpose and shifted its focus to become a comprehensive information management platform for businesses. This evolution introduced capabilities to extract insights from unstructured data, files, and even voice recordings using text analytics. The goal was to provide a do-it-yourself solution for businesses and consumers to build their own systems for tracking assets, managing leases, or organizing sales leads, effectively making database functionalities accessible to non-technical users. Following this strategic shift, the company secured $1.5 million in funding from investors including Founder's Co-op and Alliance of Angels.

The business model centered on a subscription service, charging users a monthly fee for full access to its suite of tools while offering a limited free plan. The platform allowed users to create solutions with a drag-and-drop editor, incorporating various data fields like dates, files, and transcribed voice recordings. Despite reaching over 100,000 users and aiming to replace multiple information management systems for business clients, Transpose faced challenges. In December 2016, the company ceased operations, citing an inability to generate sufficient revenue to sustain the business. It's suggested that challenges in its marketing strategy and a pricing model that may not have resonated with its initial user base contributed to its closure.

Keywords: KustomNote, Transpose, Hussein Ahmed, Samah Gad, note-taking app, information management, data management platform, Evernote integration, structured notes, business productivity, data organization, startup pivot, Seattle startup, 9Mile Labs, Founders Co-op, Alliance of Angels, note templates, data structuring, asset tracking, lead management, SaaS, subscription model, business solutions