Pounce

Pounce, operating under the entity BuyCode, was a mobile commerce venture established by entrepreneur Avital Yachin. The company launched its flagship application, Pounce, in 2013, targeting the intersection of print advertising and e-commerce. The core service was a mobile app that utilized image recognition technology, enabling consumers to instantly purchase products they encountered in physical media like magazines, catalogs, and retail circulars. By scanning a product image, users could execute a one-tap purchase, effectively turning static print ads into digital points of sale.

The business model centered on closing the gap between discovery and transaction, addressing the delay and friction consumers face when moving from print inspiration to online checkout. Pounce integrated with retailers' existing e-commerce backends to process transactions and fulfillment, serving partners such as Staples, Target, and Toys "R" Us. Revenue was tied to facilitating these direct-from-print purchases, positioning the app as a bridge technology for traditional retailers looking to enhance their omnichannel strategy.

In September 2014, the Tel Aviv-based company was acquired by Slyce, a Toronto-based visual search technology firm, for approximately $5 million. The acquisition was a strategic move by Slyce to integrate Pounce's seamless purchasing functionality into its own visual search platform. Following the acquisition, the trajectory of the brand took a turn; the acquiring entity, Slyce Inc., rebranded itself as Pounce Technologies Inc. in January 2017. Currently, Pounce Technologies Inc. is a Canadian company with no significant business operations and is focused on identifying potential strategic acquisitions.

Keywords: mobile commerce, image recognition, visual search, retail technology, print advertising, e-commerce, m-commerce, one-tap purchase, BuyCode, Avital Yachin, Slyce, discovery-to-purchase, ad-tech, catalog shopping, mobile purchasing, retail innovation, strategic acquisition, digital storefront