Blippar
Fast Facts:
Founded: August 2011
HQ: London
Founders: Ambarish Mitra, Omar Tayeb, Steve Spencer & Jessica Butcher
Employees: 42
2012 Turnover: £1 million ($1.6 million)
USP: Blippar's proprietary image-recognition technology is the fastest in the world
Q&A with Ambarish Mitra and Omar Tayeb:
Q: How did you get started and where did the idea come from?
We were out in a pub in Surrey and were joking about replacing the Queen's face on a £20 banknote. Omar made the joke come true a few weeks later. We later realized if we can make a bank note come to life, we can do it with every image in the world. Soon after our "eureka" moment, we built the business model with other co-founders Steve Spencer and Jessica Butcher.
Q: What has been your biggest success?
Our biggest success has been to add over three million users to the platform who have blipped over 20 million times across 750 brands and publishers in just two years. Having the word "blipp" used by people as a verb would be our ultimate success.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge?
Marketing to trade and consumers at the same time.
Q: What was the best business advice you received when starting out?
Your team is your biggest wealth and timing is everything.
