WINNER Vurb | Disrupt NY 2014 Startup Battlefield | Summary and Q&A

Summary

In this video, Bobby discusses how he founded Verb to reinvent surfing the web. He talks about the current fragmented state of the internet and how Verb aims to bring together different services and provide a seamless and connected browsing experience. He demonstrates examples of how Verb can be used to plan a night out or gather information about a person. He also shows how Verb works on mobile devices, allowing users to easily access and share information across different services.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Bobby to create Verb?

Bobby was inspired by his frustration with the fragmented nature of the web and the need to jump from site to site to gather information. He wanted to recreate the magic and connectedness of early internet surfing and designed Verb to bring together different services and provide a more seamless browsing experience.

Q: How does Verb work to bring services together?

Verb acts as an intelligent layer over the internet, weaving together different services that users commonly use. It generates interactive cards from these services and allows users to access and compare information from various sources without having to open multiple tabs or apps. Verb organizes the user's activity into a stream that stays with them and allows for easy navigation and sharing.

Q: How does Verb improve the process of planning a night out?

When planning a night out, Verb allows users to search for movies and generates cards with information from services like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. Users can compare movies without leaving the page and can easily find nearby theaters and restaurants. Verb enables the sharing of context across different services, making the process of planning a night out more seamless and efficient.

Q: Can Verb be used for research purposes?

Yes, Verb can be used for research purposes. Bobby demonstrates how Verb can be used to gather information about a person by searching for their name. It generates cards with information from services like CrunchBase, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Users can dive deeper into the person's background, connections, and investments, making it easier to conduct research in one place.

Q: How does Verb work on mobile devices?

Verb is also available on mobile devices and provides the same functionality as on the web. Users can access their search history, search for places, and view interactive cards with information from services like Yelp, Foursquare, and Google Maps. Verb syncs activity and data across devices, making it easy to access and share information on the go.

Q: How does Verb differentiate itself from traditional search engines like Google?

Verb is not a direct replacement for search engines like Google. While search engines focus on organizing and crawling websites, Verb aims to provide a more holistic browsing and decision-making experience. It allows users to connect different services and make comparisons, whether it's for planning a night out or conducting research. Verb focuses on assembling information and providing a seamless user experience.

Q: How does Verb address the challenge of data integration from different services?

Verb is still in the early stages of building its platform and integrating different services. While data integration can be challenging, Verb aims to work with services that have open APIs to initially bring in information. As the platform expands, they also plan to collaborate with brands and service providers to integrate additional content. The goal is to create a unified platform where services can work together and provide a more connected web experience.

Q: Is Verb limited in its scope based on the templates it uses for creating cards?

While Verb uses templates to create cards and provide a consistent user experience, they also allow for customization based on the service or brand. They encourage developers to use common templates but are open to working with providers to create unique and interactive templates that optimize the user experience. The goal is to ensure a great user interface while allowing for flexibility and customization.

Q: How does Verb plan to compete with established search engines like Google?

Verb doesn't necessarily see itself as a direct competitor to search engines like Google, as their goal is not to replace them but to provide a different browsing and decision-making experience. They believe there are unique benefits when services can work together and provide a more connected web. Verb also sees the opportunity to collaborate with search engines and other services to make the overall web experience more intelligent and seamless.

Q: What are the most popular use cases for Verb so far?

The most popular use cases for Verb align with the initial verticals they have focused on, such as places, movies, and media. Users often use Verb to search for places, make reservations, and curate information. The ability to create interactive lists or collections, such as restaurant lists, has resonated with users. However, as the platform expands, there are opportunities to explore other use cases and verticals.

Takeaways

Verb aims to reinvent how users browse and use the internet by bringing together different services and creating a connected and seamless web experience. It focuses on assembling information from various sources and providing interactive cards to make comparisons and decisions easier. While not a direct replacement for search engines, Verb offers a different approach to browsing and decision-making by weaving services together. The platform is still in its early stages, but the vision is to create a more intelligent and connected web.