GetFugu, a much anticipated mobile search startup we covered earlier this month, is gaining momentum as it receives more funding and prepares for the launch of its first two mobile apps.
The company’s approach combines three different types of mobile brand search with an instant purchase ability. The three search technologies are “See It,” “Say It” and “Find It” respectively. “See It” is the company’s augmented reality search solution, “Say It” utilizes voice recognition and “Find It” is its location-based search solution. As you can see, the company is banking on three relatively new, un-proven technologies- especially augmented reality search- and is hoping consumers share its enthusiasm.
Investors are already taking note, with a $1M investment from Vanity Events Holding, an initial $250,000 revenue agreement by SpongeTech, followed by another $4M investment from the same company. SpongeTech is betting a lot on GetFugu’s search technology to broaden its marketing scope for it’s consumer products. According to COO Steven Moskowitz, it “expects to be in over 100,000 locations nationwide by the end of the year.” He went on to explain that mobile works perfectly for SpongeTech because “purchases of our products are primarily impulse oriented, driven by our extensive branding and advertising campaigns. As we look to immediately satisfy our customers demand, utilizing the most personal and accessible device available, GetFugu will literally change the way consumers behave.”
Companies such as SpongeTech are betting on the ideal that consumers will utilize the following thought process: Step 1, customer sees a brand’s ad on TV, billboard, or other medium. Step 2, customer takes a snap of the brand’s logo with GetFugu or just says the name of the brand into their GetFugu app. Step 3, the customer is provided information such as the nearest location to purchase a specific product, hyperlinks to more content, etc.
When it comes to getting GetFugu into the hands of consumers, the company recently launched both an Android app, as well as an iPhone app. Both apps allow consumers to snap a photo of a company’s logo, say a brand name and so on, to be connected to further content about that brand without having to type anything on a small keyboard or use traditional search engines.
The company just went live on Sep. 9th, but is already coming on strong with some strategic partnerships and funding agreements. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
