Victor Cho, the former CEO of Evite, is leading a new startup called Emovid that aims to revolutionize workplace communication by replacing written emails with asynchronous video messages. The focus of Emovid is purely business correspondence, allowing users to record and share video messages for later viewing rather than live streaming. Cho believes that using voice and tone in video messages adds an authenticity that is missing from traditional written communication in today’s business environment. He is joined by co-founders Digvijay Chauhan and Rupali Pathania, who bring experience from Microsoft and video production, respectively.
Emovid aims to streamline the process of sending video messages by allowing users to record and share videos directly from the platform without the need to download an app. Video links can be embedded into existing email clients, messaging apps, or social media platforms for easy sharing. The startup also leverages artificial intelligence to generate AI summaries and transcripts of video messages, as well as offer prompts to help users compose their messages. The AI can enhance the background and appearance of the speaker in the video as needed, while also verifying the authenticity of the content by adding an “authenticity verified” seal to each video.
While Emovid is not the first startup to attempt disrupting workplace communication with video, they aim to differentiate themselves by offering a more vital and essential form of communication that enhances personal connection and trust. The startup is currently raising a seed round and accepting users on its waitlist. Cho estimates that 20% of email volume could transition to Emovid’s format, as it is faster to record a spoken message than to type out a long email. The platform’s bi-directional communication stream is hosted as a URL transport, similar to YouTube videos, making it easily accessible and shareable across various platforms.
Some industry experts, such as Forest Key, have attempted to introduce video communication tools in the workplace, but have found it challenging to gain adoption in the highly competitive space dominated by big tech companies like Microsoft and Google. Key acknowledges the potential of asynchronous video messages in conveying emotion and enhancing personal connections, but notes the difficulty in becoming a “must-have” tool for users. Emovid, with its focus on authenticity and ease of use, hopes to overcome these challenges and offer a new way of communicating at work that is more engaging and personal than traditional written emails.
