NYC and Tel-Aviv-based TVTak is an interesting social TV startup you should know about. The company revealed their gamification platform earlier this year at TechCrunch Disrupt, they’ve just come out with an Android version of their platform. They’re “the world’s first Automatic Video Recognition platform,” according to CEO and Coufounder David Amselem.
While their consumer-facing gamification app (in beta) may join a long list of GetGlue, Viggle, Miso and more, their technology and SDK is what’s especially exciting. As we’ve all experienced, audio recognition technology can be hit-and-miss when trying to sync to TV with second-screen apps in rooms with extraneous noise. If TVTak can provide a quicker non-audio only platform, it could be a backbone of social TV. Here’s our interview with Amselem…
Lost Remote: What’s TvTak and how is it making TV more social?
David Amselem: TvTak is the world’s first Automatic Video Recognition platform that allows a viewer to point a smartphone or tablet at the television and instantly identify what TV program or commercial is playing within ONE SECOND. It works on any television set, for any show or commercial of any currently supported channels.
TvTak makes any television interactive. TvTak’s “Point and Win” brings new types of engagement for TV viewers. We are launching new type of services every quarter together with partners and soon as part of our consumer app:
-Point & Play – play-along contests in synch with Television : for example, new social games around live sports, such as be the first to catch the right moments and start winning points, or betting against your friends
-Point & Buy – impulse buy what you are watching in TV
-Point & Pin – Collect TV cards of your favorite shows, movie trailers, music clips, commercials, and start wining points to enter into sweepstakes every week.
LR: Have you worked with TV brands? If so, which ones?
Amselem: TvTak offers two different services: for developers, an iOS & Android SDK for their own branded App, and a TvTak branded- app. Our customers include Orange, one of world largest telecom operator for their social TV app. Walkers (PepsiCo) and Polishop the largest Direct Marketing company in South America, which is launching its mobile e-commerce app using TvTak’s video recognition.
LR: How are you different than competitors?
Amselem: Audio recognition takes an average of 7 to 10 seconds. TvTak provides instant gratification in one second.
LR: When did you launch? How did you start the company? What were you doing before?
Amselem: We launched in 2011. We have focused on making the technology work really well and we are seeing in the past few months major growth of usage of the platform. I was one of the co-founders of Dalet, leader of digital management systems for television , lead company up to IPO. Customers include Fox, NBC , Warner etc…
LR: Anything else to add?
Amselem: We are looking for start-ups interested in using our platform to develop innovative second screen apps. We believe many new concepts are still to be created.