August 2015 – MarcioSaito.com

The Launch of Graava

In 2015-2016, I joined Graava, a startup project designing a consumer camera.

On Aug 5th, 2015 we run what was arguably the most successful (from a media exposure perspective) marketing launch for a crowdfunding HW project to date. We were hoping for significant coverage, but what we got surpassed all expectations. Graava was featured in every major mainstream and technology media outlet, including TechCrunch, Wired, Forbes, The New York Times. We were also on broadcast TV a few times. A partial (but impressive) list of links to coverage is below.

So, why did the Graava project eventually fail? (of course, this is just my personal analysis).

Graava was ahead of a wave and identified and proposed a solution for a real problem: automate the edition of video footage using data and AI. GoPro, Google, Apple among other have later introduced similar capabilities in their platforms. We selected to launch a hardware product because of the appeal of a physical device.

Graava was part of a broader market experiment with using crowdfunding to validate the demand for a hardware consumer product, and then using that validation to raise venture capital to produce and deliver the product. That model has failed.

Graava raised a couple million dollars in seed money from angel investors and built a camera (I have pre-production units), but failed to raise the additional funding necessary to bring the product to market. It returned all the funds from the crowdfunding campaign to the users, switched to focus in software and launched an IOS/Android App in 2016 that delivered the same functionality using smartphones. The App was featured in the Apple store, but failed to gain the traction needed to create a viable business model. The project was discontinued later in 2016.

Pebble was probably the earliest and arguably the most successful example in the consumer HW/crowdfunding model. They were early in the smartwatch wave and actually delivered a couple of generations of products before going under. Post-Graava, late in the cycle, Lily is said to have sold 60,000 drones (at $500-$1000 each) and raised $15M from major VC firms before failing without delivering a product. Between those two, a long list of projects also failed. Coin and Navdy are two high-profile examples.

Our launch video (produced by Sandwich video):

Video Media Coverage:

ABC7 News interviewed us for the evening news. See video.

TechCrunch interviewed us for the launch. See video.

TechCrunch Crunch Report also featured us. See video (6 min mark).

We were on prime time broadcast TV also in Brazil: See video.

Online and Print Media Coverage:

The New York Times – A New Action Camera, Born From a Cycling Crash

Wired Magazine – This self-editing action camera is the future of video

NBC News – Graava Action Camera Edits Your Footage For You

Forbes – Watch Out GoPro, This Camera Promises To Edit Your Video For You

TechCrunch – A $249 Action Camera That Edits Highlight Videos For You

Fast Company – GRAAVA’S NEW CAMERA EDITS YOUR VIDEOS FOR YOU

Fast Company Design – A smart action cam for who don’t want to edit

Mashable – Editing video is hard. Let the Graava action camera do it for you

The Verge – Graava is a new action camera that does the editing for you

VentureBeat – Graava video camera uses A.I. to automatically edit your video footage

Apple Insider – Graava camera edits its own footage using onboard sensors, Apple Watch and cloud processing

Yahoo News! – Graava camera captures and edits videos automatically

CNET – Graava camera promises to capture, edit and share your best moments

Popular Science – GRAAVA ACTION CAMERA EDITS YOUR VIDEO

GQ – CAMERA GRAAVA : VOUS FILMEZ, ELLE GÈRE LE MONTAGE

PC Magazine – Meet Graava, an Action Cam That Edits Videos for You

PC World – Graava action cam automatically finds best clips

Uncrate – GRAAVA ACTION CAMERA

Re/code – Editing Makes Good Videos Great. Can Computers Do It Better Than Humans?

Gizmag – Graava actioncam promises videos that are all killer, no filler

The Next Web – Graava camera will automatically capture and edit your tedious holiday videos

Digital Trends – If only your GoPro could edit its own footage like this smart camera

Crowdfund Insider – GoPro Killer? Graava Video Camera Uses Artificial Intelligence to Keep the Best, Tosses the Rest

9to5 Toys – The new Graava action camera uses your heartbeat to capture the best moments and make a highlight reel

SlashGear – Graava action cam auto-creates highlight reels

Ubergizmo – Graava Action Cam Takes The Pain Out Of Editing Videos

Photo District News – Graava Camera Uses Artificial Intelligence and Sensors to Edit Video for You

Shutterbug – Unique New Graava Camera Uses Artificial Intelligence to Self Edit Videos

Indirect / Syndications / International:

MSN – Graava Action Camera Edits Your Video, So You Don’t Have To

MSN – Graava Captures And Edits Video Footage

Techmeme – Graava is an action camera that automatically edits your video and prepares highlights, on preorder for $249, to eventually retail for $399

Aol Tech – Graava Captures And Edits Video Footage

Computerworld – Graava action cam automatically finds best clips

CIO – Graava action cam automatically finds best clips

BGR – Graava is the newest action camera in the block that can edit your videos for you

Pocket-lint – Graava action cam is more like a sensor-loaded smart cam that can edit your vids

Peta Pixel – Graava is a Smart Action Camera That Can Edit Your Footage For You

Mac Stories – Graava Action Camera and watchOS 2

The Tech Bulletin – $249 Graava camera edits Highlight videos

Geeky Gadgets – Graava Smart Life Logging Camera Now Available To Pre-Order For $249 (video)

Gizmoids – THIS NEW GRAAVA ACTION CAMERA WILL ALSO DO THE EDITING FOR YOU

Poker News – GRAAVA’S NEW ACTION CAMERA EDITS VIDEO FOR YOU. YES. IT DOES.

Motoroids – Graava’s new action camera can also edit videos for you

Engine vs. Motor – Graava action camera edits videos for you

Demanjo News – Graava Is A $249 Action Camera That Edits Highlight Videos For You

Food World News – Go Pro Competitor ‘Graava’: This New Toy Edits Videos For you

Argyll Life Press – GRAAVA ACTION CAM DOES ALL THE EDITING FOR YOU

Yibada – Graava Camera‘s AI Automatically Picks, Synthesizes Top Video Clips

Tulane Hullabaloo – Graava camera captures and edits videos automatically; preorder price $249

Uber Topic – Graava Is A $249 Action Camera That Edits Highlight Videos For You

IDG Blog – Rival da GoPro: nova câmera usa IA para editar vídeos dos usuários

Technoblog – Feita por brasileiros: conheça a Graava, a câmera que edita os vídeos por você

wwwhats news – Graava, cámara de acción inteligente que captura momentos concretos

Apparata –Betaalbare action cam monteert automatisch je video’s

Xataka – Las cámaras de acción de Graava editan los vídeos por ti