Company:Likewise
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| Type | Startup Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment Social Network |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Larry Cohen Ian Morris Michael Dix |
| Headquarters | Bellevue, Washington (state) |
Area served | United States Canada |
Number of employees | Approximately 35 (2020) |
| Website | www.likewise.com |
Likewise is an American technology startup company which provides a social networking service for finding and saving content recommendations for movies, TV shows, books, and podcasts.[1] A team of ex-Microsoft employees founded Likewise in October 2017 with financial investment from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.[2]
The company is led by CEO Ian Morris and now has a team of about 35 employees.[3] Its headquarters operates in Bellevue, Washington.[4] As of July 2020, 1 million users have joined the platform.[5]
History
Ideation (October 2017)
In 2017, former Microsoft Communications Chief Larry Cohen came up with the idea for Likewise in Bill Gates’ private office, Gates Ventures.[1] Cohen currently serves as Gates Ventures’ CEO and managing partner.[6]
Cohen collaborated with colleagues Michael Dix and Ian Morris to co-found what would become Likewise, with Morris as its CEO.[2] Gates funded the company's early development.[7]
The company developed its platform in stealth mode before launching publicly in October 2018.[2] Gates served as the “ultimate beta tester” during development, giving his input on the app’s design, and remains an active user and advisor.[7]
Release (October 2018)
Likewise officially released its platform in the US and Canada on October 3rd, 2018.[7]
Growth (2020 COVID-19 Pandemic)
Likewise experienced accelerated growth alongside the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] From March 2020 to July 2020, the platform’s monthly active users tripled in numbers.[3] The company reached one million users in July 2020.[5]
Applications
Mobile
Likewise is available as a mobile app for the Android and iOS mobile operating systems.[4][5] Users receive recommendations from the Likewise algorithm, people they follow, and the Likewise editorial team.[3][9]
Likewise TV
In October 2019, the company launched its Apple TV app called Likewise TV. The television app organizes shows across streaming services under one watchlist.[10] On July 20, 2020, Likewise TV expanded to Android TV and Amazon Fire TV users.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Bill Gates-backed Likewise turns recommendations into a social network" (in en-GB). 2018-10-04. https://www.verdict.co.uk/bill-gates-likewise-social-recommendation-engine/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Recommendations startup Likewise emerges from Bill Gates' private office, letting friends track and share their favorite things" (in en-US). 2018-10-03. https://www.geekwire.com/2018/recommendations-app-likewise-spins-bill-gates-private-office-focused-picks-friends/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Bill Gates-backed startup Likewise expands to TVs, bringing content picks and lists to living room" (in en-US). 2020-07-29. https://www.geekwire.com/2020/bill-gates-backed-startup-likewise-expands-tvs-bringing-personalized-content-picks-living-room/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fried, Ina. "Bill Gates' new recommendation engine" (in en). https://www.axios.com/gates-new-recommendation-engine-7557afd3-46dd-4cfc-9f99-0dd87c6b2392.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Streaming Recommendation App Likewise Now Available on Fire TV, Android TV & Apple TV" (in en-US). 2020-07-20. https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/streaming-recommendation-app-likewise-now-available-on-fire-tv-android-tv-apple-tv/.
- ↑ Gottsegen, Gordon. "Bill Gates-funded Likewise app gives you recommendations from people you trust" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/news/bill-gates-funded-likewise-app-gives-you-recommendations-from-people-you-trust/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Hamilton, Isobel Asher. "Bill Gates is backing an app that helps you keep track of the things your friends like". https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-backs-likewise-2018-10.
- ↑ "Entertainment Curation Service Explodes As People Seek Distractions" (in en). 2020-04-06. https://seattlebusinessmag.com/economy/entertainment-curation-service-explodes-people-seek-distractions.
- ↑ July 2020, Jon Lafayette 20. "Bill Gates-backed Likewise Puts Apps on Android, Amazon Apple" (in en). https://www.nexttv.com/news/likewise-puts-apps-on-android-amazon-apple.
- ↑ "What should you watch next on TV? Even Bill Gates seeks advice, so startup Likewise steps in to help" (in en-US). 2019-10-31. https://www.geekwire.com/2019/watch-next-tv-even-bill-gates-seeks-advice-startup-likewise-steps-help/.
External links
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