Tisch project revealed to be called Spring, a new mobile commerce platform that has raised $7.5 million in Series A funding
A new mobile commerce project has been in the works by David Tisch for the past year. Tisch has kept quiet about the project for some time, referring to it only as “Jello Labs,” but more information concerning the project has finally been released on the heels of a successful Series A round of funding led by Thrive Capital. The project is called Spring and has managed to acquire some $7.5 million in funding from various venture capitals.
Platform could see an official release in August or later in fall
According to Tisch, Spring is set to launch at some point in fall, with August being a likely time to release the platform. Little more is known about the platform, apart from the fact that it is forming partnerships with large retail and fashion brands. These brands have long been interested in mobile commerce, but have lacked the tools to engage mobile consumers effectively. Platforms like Spring can resolve this issue, if they can manage to capture the attention of these brands.
Platform has attracted the attention of several large retail and fashion brands
Mobile commerce can be a tricky business, especially where retailers are concerned. The mobile space is alluring because of the number of consumers that use smartphones and tablets on a daily basis, but engaging these consumers can be difficult because of their fickle nature. How Spring will help brands connect with mobile consumers is uncertain. Other platforms have attempted to enable brands to connect with mobile consumers through various marketing endeavors and loyalty programs that have had varying degrees of success.
Spring wins the support of investors like Google Ventures and SV Angel
More information about Spring will likely become available as the platform comes closer to its official release. Spring has attracted investments from various organizations outside of the technology field, which is somewhat uncommon for a new mobile commerce platform. Several technology-focused venture capitals have also invested in Spring, including Google Ventures and SV Angel.
Youth begin to flee from Facebook
The youth of the world are beginning to favor simple messaging applications for their mobile devices over Facebook. These applications allow consumers to create personal profiles, build networks of friends and other contacts, share digital content, such as video, music, and pictures. While these applications provide many of the same services that made Facebook popular several years ago, these applications have one thing that Facebook does not have: They are not Facebook.
Consumers beginning to favor simple messaging apps for their mobile devices
Young, tech-savvy consumers through North America, Asia, and Europe are beginning to flock to these messaging applications in order to connect with one another. Many of these applications, such as Kik and Whatsapp, both of which are very popular in North America, combine text messaging with social networking, allowing users to connect with one another quickly without relying on messaging plans offered by wireless network operators or the sometimes stifling design of social networking platforms.
Apps could provide better services than Facebook
These apps have an appeal to consumers based on the fact that they are designed around the concept of communication. Google Ventures partner Rich Miner suggests that the majority of interactions that people have with one another come in the form of text messages and phone calls. Many people do not involve themselves in social networks simply for the purpose of communication. Consumers are beginning to find that simple messaging applications can suffice their need to communicate with others. These applications can also effectively share digital content, removing yet another reason for consumers to rely on social networking platforms.
Facebook remains the champion of social networking
Facebook boasts of more than 1 billion users worldwide, thus solidifying it as the most popular and widely used social networking platform in the world. The company recently began embracing the mobile space more aggressively, producing the most used smartphone application on the market today. Nonetheless, consumers are still flocking to messaging applications that offer the same services as Facebook but without any association to the sometimes controversial social network.
