ustyme
ustyme, a free video-call app for the iPad & Google Chrome browser, creates deeper connections through #SharedExperiences, around exciting books & games..
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Ustyme was a technology company founded in 2012 by the husband-and-wife team, Joseph and Linda Salesky, and was based in Sausalito, California. The inspiration for the company came from Linda's personal experience as a grandmother wanting to connect more deeply with her grandson who lived in a different city. She found that simple video calls couldn't hold his attention, which led to the creation of a more interactive platform. Previously, the couple had started Picture Talk, a web-conferencing platform, giving them relevant experience in the communication technology space.
The company developed a free-to-download application, initially for iPad, that integrated video calling with shared activities. This platform allowed family members, particularly those separated by distance such as grandparents or deployed military parents, to engage in real-time, shared experiences. The core function of the app was to facilitate a video call where both parties could simultaneously read digital books or play classic games like checkers and chess on the screen. This created a more engaging and interactive form of communication than a standard video chat.
Ustyme operated on a freemium business model. The application itself was free to download and came with a small selection of complimentary books and games. Revenue was generated through an in-app store where users could purchase additional digital books and games, with prices for content starting at around $0.99 to $1.99. By September 2013, the company had secured $2 million in angel funding and had launched with a library of 45 picture books and six games. A subsequent seed funding round occurred in December 2013. The company's platform was eventually made available on Android and web browsers as well. However, Ustyme is no longer active and is considered a deadpooled company.
Keywords: video call, family communication, remote interaction, digital books, interactive games, e-reader, social gaming, long-distance family, grandparent app, freemium model, in-app purchases, edtech, shared experience, Linda Salesky, Joseph Salesky, Picture Talk, virtual playtime, family engagement, mobile application, child-focused app