FounderandCEODevoHarrisgottheideaforAdventrwhileworkingwiththemusicindustry’sbiggestartists.
“AdventrwasinspiredbymyexperiencecreatingcontentforartistslikeKanyeWest,BritneySpearsandNas,”hesaid.“ThemusicvideoswhereIintroducedinteractivecomponentsshotupinpopularity,provingthatengagingviewerswasnotjustaboutexpensivefootageandediting.”
So,HarrissteppedoutofhisroleasaGrammy-winningmediaexecutiveandintotheshoesofanearly-stagestartupfounder.Now,Adventrisadrag-and-dropSaaStoolforcreating,viewingandsharinginteractivemedia—peoplecaninteractwiththevideosthroughtouchscreens,clicksandeventheirvoice.Adventrpatentedthisvoice-controlledtechnology,called“SmartListen,”whichallowsmediacontenttochangemid-streambasedonvoicecommands.Thistechnologycouldbeappliedtoadvertisements,whereaviewercansaysomethinglike“buythegreenshirt.”Or,ifacreatormadeamovieinAdventr,theycouldinviteaudiencememberstotellthecharacterswhattodo,likesaying“don’tgodownthathallway!”tothestarofahorrorfilm.
Asofnow,thepatentedSmartListenfeaturesaren’tquitereadyyet,butHarrissaidthattheywillbeavailableforselectpartnersinearly2022.
“It’sagamechangerandisgoingtoopencreators’mindstothepossibilitiesofconnectedmediabeyondclickinginavideo,”Harristoldtechnewss.
Adventr
AfterDisrupt,Adventrraised$5millioninseedfundingledbyPaladinCapital,alongwithReinventureCapital,In/VisibleVentures,andEGOT-winnerJohnLegend,whoalsohappenstobeHarris’longtimecollaboratorandformercollegeroommate.
“Wesawasix-figurejumpinrevenueimmediatelyfollowingDisrupt,andtothisdaywereceiveinboundsfrompeoplewhoseeourpitchvideoonline,”Harrissaid.
Adventrplanstousethisfundingtocontinuebuildingoutitsteam—whenthecompanyparticipatedintheStartupBattlefield,theyonlyhadfiveemployees.ThecompanyrecentlybroughtonformerVimeoGeneralManagerPeterGerardasaproductlead.Harrissaidthatsoon,Adventrwillrolloutintegrationsintosocialmediaplatforms,allowingcustomerstosharetheirinteractivevideosnativelyonthoseplatforms.